3 June 2024
On Today Show
— Siling ak Rabing, Head of the Village Settlement Center (RESCOM) Nanga Jagau, Kanowit – Longhouse Joys and Logging Road Woes: A Gawai Festival Reality Check
— Nicholas Mujah, Environmental Activist and Secretary General of SADIA – Encouragement Without Action? Dayaks Urged to Contribute Despite Policy Failures
— Apai Mei from Sg Tangap Suai Niah –Flooded Roads, Broken Promises: The Reality of Rural Development in Sarawak
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Siling ak Rabing, Ketua Pusat Penempatan Kampung (RESCOM) Nanga Jagau, Kanowit – Kegembiraan di Rumah Panjang dan Kekecewaan Jalan Balak: Tinjauan Realiti Perayaan Gawai
— Nicholas Mujah, Aktivis Alam Sekitar dan Setiausaha Agung SADIA – Galakan Tanpa Tindakan? Kaum Dayak Didesak Menyumbang Walaupun Polisi Gagal
— Apai Mei dari Sg Tangap Suai Niah – Jalan Banjir, Janji Kosong: Realiti Pembangunan Luar Bandar di Sarawak
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*Special Randau*
1. The Youth Chief of BERSATU Party, Wan Fayhsal, announced that the party will inform the Speaker of Parliament regarding the expulsion of 6 party members who declared their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. This includes 2 Selangor State Assembly members - Abdul Rashid Asari (Selat Klang) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Nenggiri). If these vacancies are confirmed, the Election Commission (SPR) will hold 6 parliamentary by-elections and 2 state assembly by-elections.
2. The Gawai festival is lively, but our family faces the risk of accidents when traveling through logging roads on our way back to the village. This was stated by TR. Siling anak Rabing from the RESCOM resettlement center in Nanga Jagau, Kanowit. This resettlement center of 21 longhouses was established in 1973 to combat the communist threat. However, to this day, there is still no proper road. The residents rely on logging roads, and the prices of daily necessities are very high.
3. Today, a video went viral on TikTok showing a nurse accompanying a patient receiving drip treatment. They were being transported in a longboat, believed to be from a remote clinic in Kapit to Kapit Hospital. Although Sarawak is considered a high-income state, the majority of rural residents are still poor and lack basic facilities.
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Siling ak Rabing, Head of the Village Settlement Center (RESCOM) Nanga Jagau, Kanowit.
*Longhouse Joys and Logging Road Woes: A Gawai Festival Reality Check*
Siling informed RFS that the Gawai festival was celebrated joyfully in all 21 longhouses in the RESCOM settlement established in 1973. These 21 Iban longhouses were centralized to combat the communist threat at that time. However, what saddens the residents here is that they still rely on logging roads to reach their longhouses. We have water and electricity but no road connecting our settlement to the outside world. This makes it difficult for our children and in-laws to return home during the Gawai festival. Due to the lack of roads, the prices of daily necessities are very high. Although the journey to the Kanowit market is only 1 hour and 30 minutes, we appeal to the Minister of Public Works (JKR) and the Prime Minister to expedite the construction of a safe road to our longhouses. We have been using logging roads for a long time, and this situation always threatens our lives, especially during rainy and slippery weather. We hope that by the Gawai festival in 2025, our children will be able to return to the village with the convenience of paved roads - TR. Siing anak Rabing.
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Nicholas Mujah, Environmental Activist and Secretary General of SADIA
*Encouragement Without Action? Dayaks Urged to Contribute Despite Policy Failures*
Members of the Dayak community have been called on to contribute to the development of Sarawak. Deputy Premier Amar Douglas Uggah Embas emphasized that Dayaks must participate in various development initiatives, regardless of their occupation, whether they are students, farmers, businessmen, and so on.
While Douglas Uggah's statement encouraging Dayak participation in state development is positive news, it is important to note that the Dayaks have long been ready to support the government, especially in Sarawak. Many young Dayaks are well-educated, with some becoming lawyers, engineers, doctors, and other professionals.
However, Nicholas opined that there is still a lack of favorable policies for the Dayaks in Sarawak. Despite the implementation of the six regional government agencies mentioned by Uggah, the impact of the development remains insufficient, and policy reforms are needed. For instance, the Land Custody and Development Agency (LCDA), despite its development objectives, has policies that are not beneficial for the communities in terms of implementation.
In summary, while the encouragement for Dayak involvement in state development is commendable, it must be accompanied by policy reforms that truly benefit the Dayak communities to ensure they are not left behind.
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Apai Mei from Sg Tangap Suai Niah
*Flooded Roads, Broken Promises: The Reality of Rural Development in Sarawak*
Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, the Deputy Premier, emphasized that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government has always been fully committed to advancing rural development. He stated that GPS has never neglected rural development, and under the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the government has recognized the development gap between rural and urban areas.
Despite this commitment, Apai Mei from Sg Tangap Suai Niah highlighted a pressing issue faced by their community during the Gawai celebration. Many of their relatives were unable to reach the longhouse due to recurring floods that rendered the roads impassable, even for small cars or 4x4 vehicles. This situation is particularly disappointing as their longhouse serves as a focal point for local and international tourists visiting Niah Cave, a world heritage site. Apai Mei called on the government to address this issue promptly to ensure the well-being of the community and to maintain tourism activities.
Apai Mei also criticized the Sarawak state government, suggesting that statements about rural development may be seen as mere rhetoric. Despite decades of independence, there has been a failure to address fundamental issues like recurring floods, indicating a lack of genuine concern for the welfare of rural communities. The government is urged to prioritize the welfare of its citizens by taking decisive action to resolve the longstanding issue of floods, which not only disrupt local activities but also deter tourism.
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