4 July 2024
On Today Show
—【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】 Roland Engan, President of PEWARIS Baram – The Role of the Native Court: Seeking Justice for Improper Tribal Leader Appointments
—【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】Elia Bit, Social Activist on Citizenship issue – The Importance of MyKad: A Message to the Youth
— Barnie Lasimbang, activist and resident in Penampang – Penampang's Worst Flood in Years: Inadequate Planning and Mitigation to Blame
Topik Pada Hari Ini
—【FORUM：SUARA KOMUNITI】 Roland Engan, Presiden PEWARIS Baram – Peranan Mahkamah Adat: Mencari Keadilan bagi Pelantikan Pemimpin Suku yang Tidak Wajar
—【FORUM：SUARA KOMUNITI】 Elia Bit, Aktivis Sosial mengenai Isu Kewarganegaraan – Kepentingan MyKad: Pesanan untuk Generasi Muda
— Barnie Lasimbang, aktivis dan penduduk di Penampang – Banjir Terburuk di Penampang dalam Tahun-tahun: Perancangan dan Mitigasi yang Tidak Mencukupi untuk Dipersalahkan
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Special Randau
1. Sarawak is heading towards state autocracy with GPS interference in the appointment of tribal leaders and community leaders. In the state administration, GPS controls 79 state assembly seats, 1 independent and 2 DAP.
2. The drug syabu is sold like fried bananas in Kinabatangan - Sabah Umno leader said - Bung Mokthar Radin - BN - Kinabatangan. The drug syabu can be bought for as low as rm30 in the city or in the countryside. The disclosure was made by Bung in Parliament today.
3. The UK royal attorney (Steven Perian) will represent former PM Muhyiddin Yassin in the trial next week. Muhyiddin in an effort to apply for a review to cancel 4 charges of misuse of power and 3 charges of money laundering of the RM232.5 million Jana Wibawa program.
4. The Sungai Nadi Kehidupan project during the Najib Razak administration with a cost of RM3.9 billion failed. The project failed to be completed and the project did not achieve its objectives, said the Auditor General's Department.
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【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】
Roland Engan, President of PEWARIS Baram
The Role of the Native Court: Seeking Justice for Improper Tribal Leader Appointments
Roland describes Sarawak as heading towards an autocratic state administration. Not only is the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) almost entirely controlled by GPS, but the procedures for appointing tribal and community leaders are fully controlled by the state government. For hundreds of years, the appointment of tribal leaders in Sarawak was done by consensus by the longhouse residents themselves.
On August 2, 1980, the Sarawak government issued a circular outlining the procedure for appointing tribal leaders through negotiations between the penghulu and the district office. In 2004, the Ordinance of Tribal Leaders and Community Leaders was drafted but not enforced, and in 2021, the ordinance was withdrawn. However, since 2011, the Sarawak government circular stipulated that the appointment of tribal leaders must go through the Resident Office of the Division and must pass through the tribal leader appointment committee, whose permanent members include the local YB/ADUN. This has sparked excessive political interference in the appointment of tribal leaders in Sarawak. Moreover, once a village chief is appointed, he has the absolute power to appoint the list of JKKK (Village Development and Security Committee) members under his administration. This completely stifles the democratic process in villages and longhouses.
Roland Engan brought three cases of improper appointments of tribal leaders to court, and one of them was won. In the Long Bedian case, the High Court judge ruled that the procedure for appointing the tribal leader was incorrect. The other two cases/judicial reviews were not allowed, with the judge stating that government appointments could not be challenged in court as it was a government policy. However, Roland advises village communities to bring their cases back to the Native Court. Roland was particularly affected by the directive on the certificate of appointment for tribal leaders, which reads, "the duty of the tribal leader/community leader is to do what is directed by the government." This means that the tribal leader merely follows the GPS government's wishes, whether right or wrong.
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【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】
Elia Bit, Social Activist on Citizenship issue
The Importance of MyKad: A Message to the Youth
During the Suara Komunity forum, Elia raised the issue of citizenship. She established an NGO called PENA to advocate for the rights of indigenous people who do not have MyKads. Before Elia became active in this cause, she emphasized to young people the importance of having a MyKad.
Initially, Elia did not prioritize land issues because she believed that having money to buy a house in the city made land ownership less important. However, she realized that when we eventually return to our hometowns, it becomes crucial to have legitimate identification to claim land that has belonged to our ancestors. This also extends to the issue of education.
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Barnie Lasimbang, activist and resident in Penampang
*Penampang's Worst Flood in Years: Inadequate Planning and Mitigation to Blame*Last Saturday, a massive flood hit areas such as Tuaran, Sipitang, and Papar districts, with the worst impact in Penampang. In Donggongon town, the floodwaters reached a height of 1.2 meters. This flood was different from previous ones, being the largest and most sudden. Most car owners were unable to save their vehicles, and hundreds of cars were submerged, as reported in newspapers.
The situation was particularly dire at the Tonibong create centre. Most of the staff were either outstation or on leave, and the flood occurred over the weekend when no one was at the center. One staff member tried his best to save the equipment, but he failed due to the high water level, resulting in significant losses for Tonibong. Today marks the fourth day of the cleaning process, and a lot of effort is still needed. Fortunately, many volunteers have come forward to help.
The flood situation in Penampang is critical. The flood mitigation project in this district has been ongoing for ten years but has yet to be implemented due to several issues. One major issue is the land required for widening the Moyog River and creating a new canal bypass from Moyog River to Putatan River, which is taking time and affecting many houses and villages. This reflects weak town planning. Donggongon town needs a special plan to prevent such issues, like ensuring low-lying areas are designated as sustainable flood mitigation zones. For instance, paddy farms along the Moyog River should not be converted into housing areas.
Another contributing factor is the construction of the Pan Borneo highway, which was not based on proper research and planning. This construction has disrupted natural waterways that release water to the sea, exacerbating the flooding problem.