SARAWAK LIVE: Baru Bian

Mahkamah Kuching tolak rayuan keluar Islam

Mahkamah Rayuan di Kuching, Sarawak hari ini menolak rayuan oleh tiga individu berasal negeri ini yang ingin keluar dari Islam.

Mereka ialah Jenny Peter@Nur Muzdhalifah Abdullah, Tiong Choo Ting@Mohd Syafiq Abdullah dan Salina Jau Abdullah. Kesemua mereka diwakili oleh peguam yang juga Ketua PKR Sarawak, Baru Bian.

Mereka menamakan pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak, Majlis Islam Sarawak dan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) sebagai responden.

Ketiga-tiga mereka mahu Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak dan majlis berkenaan untuk mengeluarkan surat murtad kepada para pemohon yang mahu keluar dari Islam.

Mereka turut memohon agar Ketua Pengarah JPN menukar nama-nama Islam pemohon kepada nama-nama asal mereka.

Panel tiga anggota yang diketuai oleh Hakim Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat memutuskan persoalan sama ada mereka boleh meninggalkan Islam atau sebaliknya dibawa ke Mahkamah Syariah.

Hakim ialah Datuk Dr Badariah Sahamid dan Hakim Datuk Kamardin Hashim.

Nasib mereka adalah berbeza dengan Rooney Rebit dengan Mahkamah Tinggi di Kuching pada 24 Mac yang lalu menganugerahkan semakan kehakiman itu dan memutuskan beliau mempunyai hak perlembagaan untuk memilih agamanya. Keputusan itu dibuat sebelum pilihan raya negeri Sarawak baru-baru ini.

Mahkamah Tinggi kemudiannya tidak bersetuju dengan penegasan JPN bahawa Rooney @ Azmi Mohamad Azam memerlukan surat murtad dari Mahkamah Syariah untuk menukar agamanya.

Dalam kes Rooney, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak turut campur tangan dan memberi jaminan kepada Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tan Sri Adenan Satem bahawa JPN akan menggugurkan rayuannya terhadap lelaki Bidayuh tersebut.

Halangan kebebasan beragama

Peguam Baru menyifatkan keputusan dalam kes tiga individu tersebut sebagai halangan kepada kebebasan beragama di Sarawak.

Baru berkata, para pemohon yang pada asalnya bukan Islam telah keluar dari Islam selepas bercerai atau kematian pasangan.

"Ketiga-tiga telah bersumpah dalam akuan bersumpah bahawa mereka tidak lagi mengamalkan ajaram agama Islam," kata Baru dalam kenyataan hari ini.

"Isu utama di Mahkamah Tinggi dan Mahkamah Rayuan adalah sama ada Mahkamah Syariah atau Mahkamah Sivil mempunyai bidang kuasa dalam kes sedemikian.

"Hujah kami ialah memandangkan para pemohon bukan lagi beragama Islam, seperti yang tertera dalam akuan bersumpah, Mahkamah Syariah tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa ke atas mereka." - Malaysiakini

Pertimbang tawar ganjaran kepada orang awam bantu kes pembunuhan Bill Kayong

KUCHING: Pihak berkuasa berkaitan atau kerajaan mungkin boleh mempertimbang menawarkan ganjaran kepada orang ramai tampil membantu dalam kes pembunuhan melibatkan aktivis juga Setiausaha PKR Cawangan Miri, Bill Kayong.

Pengerusi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Negeri Baru Bian berkata, dalam mana-mana kes serius bukan sahaja di Malaysia tetapi negara lain, akan ada ganjaran pihak berkuasa mem-bantu menyelesaikan kes.

“Malah ia satu idea yang baik untuk pihak berkuasa menawarkan ganjaran khasnya dalam kes yang kita anggap serius sebegini.

“Bukan itu sahaja mungkin kerajaan negeri boleh membantu menawarkan ganjaran ini untuk kita selesaikan kes jenayah sedemikian,” katanya pada sidang media yang turut dihadiri Naib Pengerusi PKR Negeri See Chee How dan Naib Ketua Wanita Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Pusat Voon Shiak Ni di sini, semalam.

Baru pada masa yang sama mengingatkan kepada mereka yang prihatin dengan Bill untuk lebih rasional dengan pemergian beliau dan tidak menjadikan ia sebagai isu lain.

“Kita minta kepada orang ramai, rakan terdekat dan sebagainya untuk menyerahkan perkara ini kepada pihak berkuasa.

“Kita berharap juga pihak berkuasa akan melakukan siasatan terbaik demi menyelesaikan perkara ini,” tegas Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Ba’Kelalan itu.

Sementara itu merujuk ke-pada kenyataan Ketua Polis Miri, ACP Junaidi Bujang bahawa polis di Miri tidak dapat bertindak terhadap gengster di Miri yang membuat ugutan kerana bukti tidak mencukupi, Baru berkata ia memang jawapan dijangkakan.

“‘Bukti tidak mencukupi’ mungkin alasan munasabah jika hanya satu dua insiden telah berlaku tetapi ia sama sekali tidak dapat diterima dalam drama pemangsaan ke atas penduduk kampung Bekelit di mana banyak laporan dibuat,” katanya.

Menurut Baru, Bill menerima panggilan telefon daripada gengster (yang beliau kenali) yang mengugut untuk membunuhnya kerana merekodkan pemberian wang yang telah dibuat kepada Bill untuk berunding dengan penduduk kampung.

“Bill telah memperdengarkan rakaman itu kepada penduduk kampung dan gengster tersebut mengetahui tentangnya.

“Laporan telah dibuat tetapi tiada tindakan diambil oleh polis. Dr Michael Teo turut menerima ancaman maut daripada gengster yang sama,” katanya.

Sehubungan itu katanya ia adalah tugas mereka untuk menjaga keamanan dan melindungi rakyat dan kerja mereka untuk tahu apa yang sedang berlaku di kawasan di bawah penjagaan mereka.

“Kami memerlukan penjelasan yang lebih baik daripada ACP berbanding “‘bukti tidak mencukupi’,” kata Baru.

-Borneo Post Online

Denial by Miri Police Chief expected standard answer: Baru Bian

PRESS STATEMENT

24 JUNE 2016

DENIAL BY MIRI POLICE CHIEF EXPECTED STANDARD ANSWER

I refer to the statement by the Miri Police Chief ACP Junaidi Bujang that the police in Miri have not been able to act against the gangsters in Miri for their acts of violence and intimidation because of lack of evidence. This is the answer that we totally expected him to give and true to form, he did not disappoint.

“Lack of sufficient evidence” may be a reasonable excuse if there had been only one or two incidences but it is totally unacceptable in the long drawn out saga of the victimization of the Bekelit villagers during which numerous reports have been lodged.

Now we invite the ACP to deny knowledge of the following:

1. In Dec 2014, a fully armed contingent of 80 police personnel led by the then Miri district police chief ACP Gan Tian Kee destroyed the blockade as well as the “piring” (ingredients of religious rituals).

2. After TR Jambai’s house and car were firebombed, the gangsters employed by the company admitted to the crime, apologized and repaired the car and house.

3. In one incident, the gangsters drove a car into the village and tried to run some villagers down. They were chased out on foot, and the car they left behind was found to be registered to the company. No charges were made by the police.

4. In another incident, 2 cars chased the car TR Jambai was driving in Miri town. They rammed TR Jambai’s car, which caused it to turn over. TR Jambai’s wife and daughter who were in the car escaped injury but when TR Jambai got of of his car, he was slashed with a samurai sword. The two cars used by the gangsters which were left behind when they fled were also registered to the same company. Again, no charges were laid.

5. Bill Kayong had received a phone call from the gangster (whom he knew) threatening to kill him for recording an offer of money he had made to Bill to negotiate with the villagers. Bill had played the recording to the villagers and the gangster found out about it. A report was lodged but nothing was done by the police. [Dr Michael Teo has also received death threats from the same gangster.]

6. In the last incident, the assistant manager of the plantation had gone to Sungei Bekelit with 2 plainclothes immigration officer and 1 police officer where they threatened the villagers with 2 pistols. They were outnumbered by the villagers who arrested them and held them, until a group of people, including Bill, went and calmed the situation. It was reported that in their statements to the police, the intruders acknowledged that it was Bill who ‘saved’ them and provided them with food and drink. The immigration and police officers are reported to have admitted that the company paid them RM5,000.00 each for their help.

Can the ACP deny knowledge of these incidents? If not, can he tell us what had been done by the police following these incidents? Can he honestly say these victims could not identify the suspects? Can he deny knowledge that the gangsters had repaired the TR’s house and car after the firebomb? Can he deny that there were many potential witnesses to the incidents who could identify the suspects? Can he deny that the cars involved were all registered to the company?

Can we ask to see the investigation papers and reports for the incidents involving the Bekelit NCR land, which have been going on since 2008? Surely after so many years, the police must know what is going on? It is their job to keep the peace and protect the people. It is their job to know what is going on in the areas under their watch. We need a better explanation from the ACP than “lack of sufficient evidence”.

Baru Bian

Chairman

PKR Sarawak

-SarawakLIVE

Pembunuhan Bill Kayong ada motif politik: Baru Bian

KENYATAAN MEDIA – BILL KAYONG: PEMBUNUHAN POLITIK?

Pembunuhan Bill Kayong semalam tidak harus dibenarkan untuk menjadi satu lagi kes yang tidak dapat diselesaikan dalam fail polis Sarawak. Kami amat bimbang pada tahap keganasan yang telah merayap ke dalam masyarakat kita terhadap ahli politik dan aktivis sosial. Untuk mencari motif, pihak polis mesti melihat aktiviti-aktiviti mendiang Bill Kayong sebagai ahli PKR dan PEDAS, yang telah dikongsi di media sosial dan dilaporkan dalam akhbar. kematian Bill sedikit sebanyak dikaitkan dengan kedua-dua aspek hidupnya.

Bill adalah seorang ahli politik yang terkenal dan berdiri sebagai calon PKR di Bekenu semasa Pilihan Raya Sarawak baru-baru ini. Beliau juga terkenal sebagai setiausaha politik Dr Michael Teo , Ahli Parlimen Miri. Sebagai setiausaha PEDAS, Bill aktif dalam mempertahankan hak-hak tanah adat dan sering berdiri dengan penduduk rumah panjang terhadap pencerobohan oleh syarikat-syarikat pembalakan dan perladangan.

Ancaman terhadap ahli politik, peguam dan aktivis adalah nyata, terutamanya bagi mereka yang bersuara menentang pencerobohan tanah. Tahun lepas, Dr Michael Teo telah diserang dan cedera parah di hadapan pejabatnya dengan penyerang, tetapi kes itu tidak pernah diselesaikan dan tidak ada orang yang dibawa ke muka pengadilan kerana jenayah itu. Beberapa tahun yang lalu, koktel Molotov, dilemparkan ke dalam perkarangan rumah See Chee How dengan samseng yang tidak diketahui. Dilaporkan bahawa Bill menerima panggilan amaran kepadanya untuk tidak terlibat dalam kes-kes tanah. Chee How, Abun Sui dan saya juga telah menerima panggilan itu.

Pihak polis dan kerajaan Sarawak mesti lebih aktif dalam penyiasatan ke atas kes-kes keganasan yang berkaitan dengan kes-kes tanah NCR. Di Melikin, Surik Muntai, yang berjuang untuk hak-hak tanahnya, telah diserang dengan ganas dan dilumpuhkan oleh samseng pada tahun 2013. Salah satu penyerang yang telah dikenal pasti sebagai pekerja bagi syarikat perladangan hubungan politik di kawasan itu, dan walaupun polis menemui kumis senjata di kuarters pekerja, setakat ini, tidak ada keadilan untuk Surik. Tiada seorang pun yang telah dipertanggungjawabkan untuk jenayah ini.

Di Bekelit, TR Jambai telah berjuang untuk tanah sejak tahun 2008 dan pada masa itu, rumah dan kereta beliau dibakar dan beliau dipukul dan ditetak dengan pedang samurai tahun lepas. Syarikat perladangan yang terlibat juga dikaitkan dengan orang yang berkuasa, dan sekali lagi, tiada siapa yang telah dibawa ke muka pengadilan bagi jenayah terhadap TR Jambai. Malah, kejadian terbaru ialah Bill Kayong terlibat dalam satu kes lagi diBekelit pada bulan April, di mana terdapat pertembungan antara penduduk kampung dan penolong pengurus ladang yang diiringi oleh pegawai-pegawai polis yang tidak berpakaian seragam dan pegawai immigresen.

Banyak laporan polis telah dibuat terhadap kedua-dua kes tetapi polis macam tidak berapa mengambil berat tentang membuat tangkapan. Tidak hairanlah bahawa orang ramai telah hilang kepercayaan terhadap polis tempatan? Sama ada ia adalah benar atau tidak, persepsi orang ramai ialah mereka dikompromi. Atas sebab ini, kami mengalu-alukan pengumuman yang dibuat oleh Ketua Polis Negara bahawa Pasukan Petugas Khas telah ditubuhkan untuk menyiasat kes pembunuhan Bill, dan kami minta bahawa tiada pegawai polis tempatan terlibat sejauh mungkin, untuk memberi persepsi ketulusan.

Tembakan Bill Kayong bukan sahaja satu lagi tembakan rambang. Pihak polis tidak boleh menolak penglibatan politik dalam kes ini. Kerajaan perlu mengkaji semula dasar dan amalan mengeluarkan lesen pembalakan dan pajakan, yang telah menyebabkan banyak rasa tidak puas hati dan kesusahan kepada penduduk asal. Masalah-masalah yang timbul daripada dasar ini - ketamakkan korporat, rasuah serta penghinaan terhadap hak asli - adalah alasan bahawa orang-orang seperti Bill Kayong dan yang lain daripada kami terus berjuang untuk pemilik tanah terhadap syarikat-syarikat dan kerajaan.

Sebagai langkah segera dan untuk mencegah keganasan dan kehilangan nyawa, kerajaan perlu segera mencari satu proses yang berdaya maju dan berkesan untuk penyelesaian cepat untuk semua pertikaian NCR. Ketua Hakim Borneo, Tan Sri Richard Malanjum telah mencadangkan supaya Suruhanjaya Tanah ditubuhkan, dan kami sekali lagi menyatakan sokongan untuk cadangan beliau. Saya menyeru Ketua Menteri untuk bertindak ke atas cadangan ini dengan segera.

Kita tidak boleh biarkan perjuangan Bill dan pengorbanan besar beliau menjadi sia-sia sahaja.

BaruBian

Pengerusi

PKR Sarawak

-SarawakLIVE

Kematian Bill kehilangan besar buat PKR Sarawak

KUCHING: Kematian Bill Kayong, 43, merupakan kehilangan besar buat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak khasnya.

Pengerusi PKR Sarawak Baru Bian berkata Bill merupakan ahli setia PKR yang juga aktivis vokal bagi penduduk asal negeri ini tanpa gentar memperjuangkan tanah Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR).

“Saya dan ahli parti terkejut apabila mendengar mengenai kematian ahli setia kami, Bill Kayong pagi tadi (semalam) di tangan pembunuh.

“Parti telah kehilangan seorang kawan setia dan baik dan kehilangannya amat dirasai oleh Dr Michael Teo kerana Bill merupakan pembantu amat dipercayainya,” ujar Baru dalam satu kenyataan media semalam.

Menurutnya tiada kata-kata yang dapat mengatakan kesedihan dan kemarahan parti terhadap tindakan kejam penjenayah yang menembak mati Bill.

Baru yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Ba’Kelalan berkata meskipun masih muda, Bill sentiasa bersemangat mengejar keadilan untuk rakyat dan sangat lantang menentang sebarang bentuk diskriminasi atau ketidakadilan dalam masyarakat.

Tambahnya, Bill merupakan seorang yang sarat dengan misi dan banyak lagi boleh beliau sumbangkan untuk rakyat.

PKR katanya, masih menunggu butiran mengenai jenayah kejam itu dan menggesa polis berusaha bersungguh-sungguh menyiasat kes ini sehingga pesalah berjaya dibawa ke muka pengadilan.

“Sudah tentu kita amat simpati kepada keluarga mendiang atas kehilangan beliau. Anak-anaknya boleh berbangga dengan dedikasi serta komitmen ayah mereka.

“Parti berterima kasih kepada mendiang Bill kerana menjadi sebahagian daripada PKR dan berjuang selama ini. Sudah pasti kehilangannya akan dirasai,” ujar Baru.

Sementara itu Naib Pengerusi PKR Sarawak See Chee How mengutuk keras perbuatan kejam itu dan menyeru orang ramai yang berada di lokasi ketika kejadian serta mungkin mempunyai maklumat tampil membantu polis.

“Saya amat berharap dan menyeru orang ramai yang berada di sekitar tempat kejadian dan mungkin mempunyai maklumat mengenai pembunuh atau kenderaan digunakan agar tampil memberi informasi kepada polis,” katanya.

Bagi See, Bill bukan sekadar ahli parti tetapi seorang kawan rapat dan sebagai ahli keluarga.

“Banyak perkara kami lakukan bersama-sama sedekad yang lalu, menjadikan hubungan kami tidak sekadar ahli parti tetapi kawan rapat dan saudara.

“Kita telah kehilangan seorang pemimpin parti yang rajin dan aktivis hak peribumi dihormati, mesra kepada semua orang serta tidak berdendam dengan lawan politiknya atau antagonis,” kata See.

Presidan PKR Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pula menggesa semua pihak agar bersabar dan menunggu kenyataan penuh daripada polis.

“Pada ketika ini motif jenayah pembunuhan masih belum dikenal pasti. Bagaimanapun, Keadilan (PKR) menggesa semua pihak bersabar dan menunggu kenyataan penuh daripada Polis Diraja Malaysia.

“Keadilan turut menggesa mereka yang terlibat dalam pembunuhan kejam ini segera dikesan, ditangkap dan dibawa ke muka pengadilan. Bagi keluarga besar Keadilan, kami merakamkan ucapan takziah buat keluarga saudara Bill Kayong,” kata Wan Azizah.

Menurut laporan awal polis, Bill ditembak oleh individu tidak dikenali ketika sedang menunggu di dalam kereta miliknya, Toyota Hilux di persimpangan lampu isyarat di Lutong Miri.

Ketika kejadian berlaku iaitu kira-kira jam 8.20 pagi, mangsa dipercayai dalam perjalanan dari rumahnya di Senadin, Miri ke pejabatnya di Permayjaya, Miri.

Polis mengklasifikasikan kes sebagai bunuh di bawah Seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaaan dan motif kejadian masih disiasat.

Pada Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) lalu, Bill bertanding atas tiket PKR bagi kawasan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Bekenu bagaimanapun tewas kepada calon langsung Barisan Nasional (BN) Rosey Yunus.

-Borneo Post Online

Wrong for Baru Bian to take credit, says Awg Tengah

BA KELALAN: Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong was the person behind the state government’s move to rescind the decision to gazette Ulu Trusan forest after he raised it with the chief minister during a visit to Lawas recently.

Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this when campaigning for Ba Kelalan BN candidate Willie Liau in Long Luping and Buduk Nur in Ba Kelalan during Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamid’s visit to the constituency Saturday.

“It was Datuk Henry who brought the Lun Bawang community to meet the chief minister and wrote a letter to Adenan who immediately instructed the Forest Department to discontinue the forest reserve proposal,” he said.

Awang Tengah said it was wrong for Baru to claim the credit when it was rightly due to the Lawas MP’s efforts which proved the later was effective instead of Baru who had no influence over the chief minister and the BN government.

He called on Ba Kelalan voters to support BN candidate Willie Liau for a better future under BN, saying they should put behind the issue of candidacy of BN following a heated eight-horse race.

“The whole government machinery is behind Willie to be effective but I hope the Lun Bawang community should return Ba Kelalan to the BN for us in Lawas to move forward together,” he said. Apart from the development projects and grants, he said each BN assemblyman was allocated RM2 million annually for Minor Rural Project (MRP) fund but Ba Kelalan has lost RM10 million alone in five years from this grant.

Being familiar with the Ba Kelalan constituency as he was their former assemblyman under the old Lawas state constituency, he said the seat was carved out to accommodate Lun Bawang representation in the state assembly.

He thus called on the Lun Bawang voters to support the BN like they did to the late Datuk Dr Judson Sakai Tagal who won uncontested twice as Ba Kelalan assemblyman.

The state and federal governments have proven their commitment to serve the rural people of Sarawak as reflected in the funds and attention by way of the many visits here of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“I am sure Adenan Satem will be next Chief Minister of Sarawak after May 7, and BN will continue to rule but Ba Kelalan must not lose out by voting the opposition,” he said.

Awang Tengah said while he understood their mixed feelings due to the extended family ties and the respect for each other for being related to Baru Bian, it was imperative that they look at the bigger picture of being in the BN bandwagon.

On power supply for the Ba Kelalan highlands, he said the state government had already approved IPP project for Ba Kelalan, with solar and other mini-hydro power to cater for the needs of the people here, who are far from the state grid.

Meanwhile, on the pothole-riddled road from Long Luping to Ba Kelalan, he said the prime minister had mentioned that funds would be allocated to upgrade or repair the road if mandated by the electorate in this state election.

Earlier, he engaged the voters in Long Luping and encouraged them to change course to support the BN and look at the bigger political picture.

Their ambivalence of choosing the election candidate is evident as each house has both posters of Willie and Baru.-Borneo Post

DAP gagal beri maklum balas – Baru Bian

PETALING JAYA: PKR menyalahkan DAP yang gagal memberikan maklum balas sehingga tengah malam tadi dan menyebabkan berlaku pertandingan antara kedua parti itu di lima kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sarawak.

“Ruang untuk berbincang dengan DAP tetap terbuka hingga hari terakhir sebelum penamaan calon, dan kami juga telah menyampaikan cadangan untuk menyelesaikan isu ini, malangnya tidak mendapat maklum balas DAP sehingga tengah malam tadi,” kata Pengerusi PKR Sarawak, Baru Bian menerusi kenyataan hari ini.

Katanya, perbincangan untuk memutuskan jumlah kerusi yang akan ditandingi calon PH dalam pilihan raya berkenaan bukanlah mudah.

“PKR hanya menyerahkan watikah kepada 35 orang calon tidak termasuk kerusi bertindih kerana proses perbincangan masih berjalan,” katanya.

Presiden PKR, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail menandatangani watikah kepada 35 calon PKR manakala selebihnya diberi restu oleh Presiden kepada Baru untuk menyelesaikan kerusi yang bertindih.

DAP menganggap tindakan PKR itu yang tetap calon di kawasan yang telah diersetujui diberikan kepada DAP sebagai mungkir janji

Pertembungan antara DAP dan PKR melibatkan lima kerusi iaitu Batu Kitang, Mambong, Ngemah, Simanggang and Murum.

“Musuh utama kita ialah Barisan Nasional dan beberapa kerusi yang ada pertindihan, kita berharap dapat bersatu untuk menumbangkan BN,” katanya lagi.

Baru berkata, jumlah kerusi DUN yang ditandingi PKR adalah kurang berbanding PRN ke-10 yang lalu.

Ini kerana, katanya, PKR hanya memilih calon yang berusaha bersungguh-sungguh di kawasan masing-masing dam PKR meminta pengundi Sarawak untuk mengundi dengan bijak.

Proses penamaan calon PRN-11 berlangsung hari ini, manakala hari membuang undi ditetapkan pada 7 Mei ini.-Free Malaysia Today

Baru: BN leaders misleading NCR landowners

KUCHING: While state Barisan leaders say that the native customary rights (NCR) land issue is “lapok” (old), Sarawak PKR rural candidates, however, are prioritising it as the number one issue.

Their main concern is that if the Dayaks lose their rights over their ancestral land after such lands have been converted as native communal reserves gazetted under Section 6 of the Land Code, then they are going to be “kampar” (landless and squatters).

As landless people, they may be forced to move out to the urban centres to look for “greener pastures”.

Armed with little skill, they will be jumping from the frying pan to the raging fire.

“These are the concerns of our rural candidates,” said Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian in an interview with The Ant Daily.

He said that the landowners have been fed with “misinformation” on the purpose of a perimeter survey carried out under Section 6 of the Land Code.

The case of landowners in Betong who suddenly found out that they had lost their land after it was gazetted to become communal reserves is a case in point.

Under these communal reserves, the lands are state lands which are to be shared by other landless natives in the community.

Up to the end of last year about 700,000 hectares of NCR land have been perimeter surveyed under section 6.

Baru urged those who are not happy with the survey to come out with their statements and speak boldly, and at the same time to lodge police reports.

He said the PKR team of lawyers are examining under what laws they can nullify the perimeter survey of NCR land carried out under section 6 of the land code.

“If the landowners who are affected by the perimeter survey are not happy and want to bring the matter further, we can always pick it up and examine under which laws we will be able to nullify it,” he said.

Baru who is a lawyer specialising on NCR land issues was commenting on scores of Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) in Betong lodging police reports against the former Layar assemblyman Alfred Jabu and the Department of Lands and Surveys.

They are not happy that they were not truthfully and fully informed about their land surveyed under perimeter survey and its subsequent impacts.

“They are always kind of mixing truth with falsity of information. They are always feeding them with misleading information.

“State BN representatives including some officers of the land and survey department do not want to be upfront on the matter.

“That is the problem,” he said.

So when PKR lawyers told them of the real legal status of the land surveyed under section 6, they were very unhappy because they found out that what was told to them by the government and BN elected representatives was completely different, the PKR leader said.

“The landowners now know the legal impact.

“That was the reason why they lodged several police reports,” he said, pointing out that the danger of having land surveyed under section 6 is restricting their rights on to that area because the ‘pemakai menua’ and ‘pulau galau’ was excluded.

“But the landowners can inform the land and survey officers that they have the right to claim NCR land beyond the surveyed area,” said Baru.

The second reason why they lodged police reports was that the statement made by land survey officers that there are compensations made under section 6 in three areas was not true.

In fact the compensation is for the construction and the building of roads. The compensation is not under section 6. So they ask the police to investigate this, he said.

Baru encouraged those whose NCR land had been surveyed under section 6 to be open and be bold and make statements.

They should emulate longhouse chiefs in Betong.

He said that they should also make police reports to show that they are not happy and to tell the public that the BN government is misleading the people as to the purpose of the survey.

“But if they want the matter to be brought further, we can always examine it to see under what laws we can nullify the perimeter survey,” reiterated Baru, who is defending his seat of Ba’Kelalan.-The Ant Daily

Overlapping seats: Only a couple yet to be resolved, says Baru

KUCHING: PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian said the majority of the 40 seats that the party intended to contest in the 11th state election had been confirmed.

Baru, who is PKR’s candidate for Ba Kelalan, described the number of yet-to-be-resolved overlapping seats with the DAP as ‘one or two very negligible numbers’.

“It (number of seats) is irrelevant to me, at the moment. The most important thing is we have instructed our grassroots and potential candidates to work hard because what is important at the end of the day is ‘who are you on the ground and are we representing the aspirations of the people or not’,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

While PKR had announced they would be fielding candidates in 40 seats, DAP announced on Saturday they would be contesting in 29 seats. The overlapping seats between PKR and DAP are said to be Tasik Biru, Mambong, Simanggang, Bukit Semuja and Mulu.

On PKR’s list of candidates, Baru said the final list would most probably be announced before nomination day on April 25.

Asked to comment on his opponent—BN’s Willie Liau—in the polls, Baru said all Lun Bawangs were related to one another. But both he and Willie—who is Baru’s relative—understood it would just be a political fight.

“With BN being well organised and having very good machinery, I expect to have a very tough fight in Ba Kelalan.

“Not only that, knowing my position in the party and by reading a lot of comments and an article that stated that they (BN) will use whatever means to topple PKR in Ba Kelalan, I think it is a good reminder that I have to work very hard.”

Baru said he would not under estimate Willie’s winning chances, although the latter lost to him by 473 votes in the last state election in 2011.-Borneo Post

PKR sifatkan tarikh ditetapkan SPR ‘sangat baik’

KUCHING: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak menyifatkan tarikh Pilihan Raya Negeri Ke-11 (PRN11) yang diumumkan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) semalam dengan menetapkan 7 Mei 2016 hari mengundi dan 25 April 2016 sebagai hari penamaan calon satu tarikh yang ‘sangat baik’.

Perkara itu disuarakan oleh Pengerusi PKR Sarawak Baru Bian yang memberitahu bahawa tarikh itu amat sesuai dan tepat.

“Pada pandangan saya tarikh ini ‘sangat baik’, tempoh dua minggu untuk berkempen mencukupi, tidak terlalu panjang dan tidak terlalu singkat, memadai untuk kita berkempen,” katanya ketika mempengerusikan sidang media di ibu pejabat PKR Sarawak di sini, semalam.

Pengumuman tarikh itu dilakukan oleh Pengerusi SPR Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah pada sidang media sempena mesyuarat khas yang diadakan di sebuah hotel terkemuka di sini, semalam.

“Berdasarkan pengalaman saya di Ba’Kelalan pada PRN lalu, Barisan Nasional (BN) kurang berkempen pada minggu pertama (dalam tempoh berkempen), namun tiga hari sebelum hari mengundi mereka sangat aktif,” tambah Baru.

Mengulas mengenai jentera PKR, beliau mendedahkan bahawa jentera parti sudah berada di tahap terbaik dan bersedia untuk digerakkan menjelang PRN11 kelak.

Malah, beliau yang menyifatkan dirinya sebagai calon bukan pilihan bagi kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Ba’Kelalan berkata, PKR akan terus bekerja keras demi mempertahankan kerusi itu.

“Untuk itu, kita harap rakyat Sarawak lebih matang dan kita mahu rakyat Sarawak memandang jauh demi masa depan,” tegasnya.

Selain itu, Baru turut menyifatkan PRN11 ini istimewa berbanding PRN lalu kerana suasana politik yang berbeza di bawah Pakatan Harapan yang baharu diwujudkan.

“Kalau dahulu kita bertan-ding di bawah Pakatan Rakyat tetapi kali ini kita di bawah Pakatan Harapan manakala BN pula dengan calon langsung mereka yang kita tidak tahu sama ada mendapat sokongan atau mendapat undi protes daripada rakyat, namun saya tidak mahu meramalkannya,” katanya.

Pada masa sama Baru berkata pihaknya akan mengumumkan calon PKR dalam masa terdekat termasuk tiga kerusi DUN iaitu Kakus, Jepak dan Lambir yang masih bertindih dengan Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).

Hadir sama pada sidang media itu semalam, Naib Pengerusi PKR See Chee How, Setiausaha Majlis Pimpinan Negeri Nicholas Bawin, Ketua Publisiti PKR Vernon Kedit dan calon PKR Serembu Athina Sim. – Utusan Borneo.

Larangan masuk terhadap pemimpin UMNO masih tidak adil kepada pembangkang

KUCHING: Larangan ke atas Pengerusi Gabungan NGO Malaysia yang juga pemimpin UMNO Datuk Jamal Md Yunos masuk ke Sarawak masih dianggap tidak adil kepada pemimpin politik daripada Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Pengerusi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak Baru Bian menegaskan bahawa walaupun kerajaan negeri semalam menghalang pemimpin UMNO itu masuk ke Sarawak, tindakan itu masih tidak sama dengan apa yang dilakukan terhadap ahli politik daripada PH.

“Baharu seorang ahli BN UMNO dihalang masuk ke Sarawak, ia masih tidak adil bagi saya, kalau boleh larangan ini tidak ditetapkan kepada individu tertentu daripada PH sahaja juga daripada BN (dari Semenanjung),” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai perkara itu selepas sidang media di ibu pejabat PKR Sarawak di sini, semalam.

Pada masa sama Baru mendakwa bahawa halangan terhadap Jamal hanya untuk mendapat perhatian daripada rakyat Sarawak dan kerajaan negeri di bawah Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem masih menyalah guna hak autonomi yang ada di negeri ini.

“Kita semua tahu Jamal ini bagaimana orangnya, beliau sering membuat masalah dan ia bukan sesuatu yang memeranjatkan mengapa beliau dihalang masuk ke negeri ini,” tambahnya.

Semalam, Jamal bersama rombongan telah dihalang masuk ke Sarawak sebaik sahaja tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuching kira-kira jam 11.30 pagi.

Beliau bersama tiga lagi rakannya, Ariffin Abu Bakar, Rahim Ibrahim dan Razali Zakaria dihalang masuk mengikut Seksyen 65 (1) A Akta Imigresen 1957/63. – Utusan Borneo.

Baru Bian: Let them come, I will be waiting for them

ELECTION TALK: Ba’Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian knows very well that he is the prime target of the ruling coalition and will face the Barisan Nasional juggernaut in the coming polls. But he is prepared for them.

“I expect a lot of promises, a lot of money to be poured into my constituency. There will be ‘zinc projects’ here and there,” he said.

Such promises have always been made every time there is an election, and these are their “election gimmicks” to hoodwink the people into voting for the BN candidate, he said.

Chief Minister Adenan Satem has announced a sum of RM29.2 million for the stalled road projects in Ba’Kelalan, and has pledged more projects for Ba’Kelalan.

“I have done my best to serve the people of Ba’Kelalan, and I leave it to them to judge my performance in the past five years,” said Baru, who is also the state chairman of PKR.

Out of 10 issues, he listed religious freedom, native customary rights (NCR) land, GST, basic amenities like schools, water, clinics and roads as well as drug abuse as the top issues that he has been fighting for or against.

“Religious freedom is very important to the people of Ba’Kelalan where nearly 100 percent of them are Christians.

“The next top issue is our NCR land. Even lands surrounding our villages are taken away from us,” he said, adding that he has been fighting throughout his life for NCR land rights.

Baru, who is a specialist in NCR land law, has won a number of NCR land cases.

He cited Adenan’s proposal to convert some 120,000 hectares of land in Ulu Trusan, Lawas as a forest reserve.

When he made the announcement, Adenan did not know that almost all the 120,000 hectares of the land are NCR land belonging to the Lun Bawang.

The Lun Bawang protested through Baru who threatened to sue the government if it proceeded with its proposal.

If the proposal went on, it would leave the Lun Bawang small portions of land for their villages, and it would also deprive them of their hunting, foraging and fishing grounds leaving them with nothing to live on, Baru said.

Realising his grave “mistake”, Adenan announced that the proposal had been suspended.

Even before he took up politics, the 58-year-old Baru has always been a thorn in the flesh of the Barisan Nasional and the authorities.

After graduating as a lawyer in 1986, he went through another “education” in native rights law with environmental groups, including Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and human rights activists like Harrison Ngau, the ISA detainee, and Bruno Manser, the Swiss anti-logging activist.

He went to Japan several times to meet with other activists of all stripes and delivered speeches at international forums and the International Tropical Timber Organisations (ITTO) council, attacking indiscriminate logging activities in Lawas and Baram areas.

Japan was one of the leading importers of Sarawak timber.

For his anti-logging activities, Baru had been branded a “traitor” by the Barisan Nasional and the authorities.

He confessed that he was almost arrested.

When he contested the Lawas seat in 1991 against Awang Tengah Ali Hassan of PBB, BN effectively used the “traitor” label against him causing him to lose heavily. However, he did not lose his deposit.

His first attempt to contest the Ba’Kelalan seat in a by-election in 2004 and in a state election in 2006 all ended in failure.

But Baru was not deterred by the setbacks.

He won Ba’Kelalan in 2011 against a PBB-nominated candidate by a majority of 473 votes. This time he contested on a PKR ticket.

Since joining PKR after the deregistration of PBDS in 2004, Baru had worked relentlessly in Ba’Kelalan, especially to educate the people on religious freedom, their customary rights in their ancestral lands and the right to development.

His efforts, however, was not only confined to his constituency, but also to at least 40 other constituencies in Sarawak.

Through his efforts and the efforts of other PKR leaders, Sarawakians are slowly waking up from their political slumber.

No wonder, BN feels threatened by Baru’s growing influence.

And this perceived “threat” could have prompted Adenan to invite Baru to join the Barisan Nasional, but later rejected it outright.

For PBB, it has other reasons to bring Baru in, because it has always been its design to take over Ba’Kelalan which is the only state constituency within the Lawas parliamentary constituency that is not under its control.

The other state constituency is Bukit Sari and the incumbent is Awang Tengah, a senior PBB leader and an influential minister.

Baru’s refusal to join PBB was regarded as an “insult” to the chief minister. Partly for this reason, he is considered the “number one enemy” of the BN and must be eliminated.

The state legislative assembly is to be dissolved on April 11 but Adenan has yet to announce the candidate to challenge Baru.

From SPDP sources, it has already identified its deputy president Nelson Balang Rining as its candidate.

However, a certainly personality in PBB rejected Nelson, accusing him of failing in his duty during his two terms as Ba’Kelalan assemblyman.

Instead, the PBB leader suggested that Mutang Tagal be nominated as the BN candidate, but the problem is that the former MP has been out of politics and is not a SPDP member.

Several other names have also been mentioned as possible candidates for Ba’Kelalan.

Could the last minute decision to select the candidate be an advantage to Baru? Let’s wait and see.-The Ant Daily

Baru Bian patut berundur kerana Anwar Ibrahim dipenjara, kata Peter Minos

KUCHING: Kenyataan Pengerusi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak, Baru Bian terhadap kepimpinan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem disifatkan bercanggah dengan apa yang difikirkan oleh rakyat negeri ini.

Penganalisis politik Dato Peter Minos berkata, Adenan merupakan seorang pemimpin terbaik meskipun baharu dua tahun mengetuai pentadbiran Sarawak.

“Banyak perkara telah dilakukan oleh beliau (Adenan), malah rakyat sangat mengagumi dan menghormati kepimpinannya.

“Ia berbeza dengan pendapat Baru Bian yang mengatakan Adenan sebaliknya, oleh itu adakah dia (Baru Bian) seorang ahli politik yang benar-benar baik atau licik yang hanya berpura-pura tidak tahu Sarawak kini diketuai seorang pemimpin terbaik yang pernah ada,” tegasnya.

Peter berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas berhubung ‘Deklarasi Rakyat Selamatkan Malaysia’ yang dirasmikan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad di Kuala Lumpur kelmarin bertujuan untuk menolak pentadbiran Najib.

Peter berkata, gesaan Baru terhadap Adenan agar berundur daripada kepimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak adalah tidak logik.

“Kita juga boleh meminta dia (Baru) meninggalkan PKR kerana ketua PKR (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) adalah banduan dan kini masih berada di dalam penjara,” katanya.

Mengulas lanjut, jelasnya, Adenan pernah sebelum ini memberikan komen mengenai Perdana Menteri bahawa sistem keadilan adalah telus dan seseorang tidak bersalah sehingga dibuktikan bersalah.-Utusan Borneo

PKR Sarawak gesa Adenan putus hubungan dengan Najib, masa untuk berubah

Ketua PKR Sarawak Baru Bian bertanya hari ini, berapa lama lagi Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Adenan Satem bercadang untuk meneruskan sokongan beliau kepada perdana menteri yang "semakin hampir ke hari penghujungnya".

"Persoalan untuk ketua menteri ialah sama ada beliau akan terus mengisytiharkan rasa kagum dan sokongannya kepada insan ini, yang kelakuannya tidak bermaruah atau jujur sejak memegang jawatan," kata Baru sambil menyatakan sokongan kepada Deklarasi Rakyat yang menyeru penyingkiran Datuk Seri Najib Razak, ditandatangani di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

"Sebagai seorang terpelajar dan banyak membaca, ketua menteri perlu sedar, seseorang itu dikenali dari rakan yang didampinginya.

"Ketua menteri perlu sedar, Najib semakin hampir ke hari penghujungnya," katan ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Ba' Kelalan itu.

Deklarasi Rakyat itu diketuai bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan ditandatangani 58 individu termasuk beberapa tokoh daripada Umno, parti pembangkang dan masyarakat sivil.

Ia menyeru ke arah penyingkiran Najib daripada jawatannya dan beberapa pembaharuan institusi, seperti usaha memulihkan integriti "institusi yang menjadi lemah" seperti polis, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia dan Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC).

Baru berkata, Adenan "harus membebaskan dirinya daripada Najib dan menjarakkan hubungan mereka, bukannya terus memeluk beliau dengan begitu mesra setiap kali beliau datang (ke Sarawak)".

Katanya, jika Adenan gagal berbuat demikian, "kami (akan) meminta rakyat Sarawak berbuat demikian apabila mereka membuang undi pada pilihan raya akan datang".

"Masa untuk perubahan sudah tiba."

Baru berkata, beliau juga setuju, tidak cukup sekadar usaha menyingkirkan seorang perdana menteri yang dicemari rasuah dan sekutunya.

Pengisytiharan semalam, katanya, perlu disokong semua orang kerana ia bukan semata-mata gesaan menyingkirkan Najib tetapi juga menuntut perubahan institusi "membetulkan kesilapan yang dibuat pentadbiran sebelumnya pada masa lalu."

"Najib Razak merupakan produk dan sebahagian daripada sistem itu."

Baru berkata, keseluruhan sistem perlu dibaikpulih supaya tidak ada “Najib Razak” lain akan muncul dari mana-mana parti politik.

"Hari ini adalah satu langkah positif dalam usaha mengembalikan maruah negara ini dan menyelamatkannya dari kehancuran di tangan kerajaan pimpinan Najib.

"Saya menyokong penuh tuntutan yang dibuat dalam deklarasi itu, termasuk permintaan untuk memansuhkan undang-undang yang melanggar Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan pemulihan integriti institusi awam seperti polis, SPRM, Bank Negara dan PAC."

Baru berkata, beliau juga gembira penandatangan perjanjian itu semalam datang dari latar belakang dan kumpulan yang berbeza-beza.

"Seperti yang dikatakan (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad yang menubuhkan kumpulan itu), ia mengumpulkan rakyat yang ingin menyelamatkan negara ini dan bukan merupakan gabungan mana-mana parti politik.

"Sesetengah orang mungkin menuduh Dr Mahathir berhasrat membalas dendam kerana penyingkiran anaknya (Datuk Seri Mukhriz) sebagai menteri besar Kedah, tetapi pada pandangan saya, kita bertanggungjawab kepada diri kita sendiri dan negara untuk memberikan pergerakan ini peluang berkembang menjadi realiti seperti yang kita semua impikan untuk Malaysia.

"Malah (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, yang duduk di penjara kerana komplot lalu Dr Mahathir, meletakkan kepentingan negara dan rakyatnya mengatasi perasaan peribadinya dan memberi sokongan kepada inisiatif Dr Mahathir itu."

Baru berkata, majlis semalam mencerminkan rasa meluat rakyat kepada perdana menteri dan pentadbiran beliau, dan kesungguhan mereka berjuang untuk hari esok yang lebih baik tanpa kepimpinan itu. –The Malaysian Insider

Baru Bian Hanya Mampu Bercakap Tentang Kekecewaan

Percaturan PKR Sarawak melalui pengerusinya, Baru Bian untuk menidakkan usaha serta pencapaian Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Adenan Satem dan Barisan Nasional (BN) nampaknya seperti tidak menjadi; amat janggal dan dangkal.

Mungkin juga sudah menjadi aturan politik PKR untuk menyelit provokasi agama demi meraih sokongan masyarakat Dayak, yang akhirnya mereka juga yang akan kecewa.

Dalam kenyataan pada Ahad, Baru Bian dipetik sebagai berkata “Adenan tidak mampu mendapat persetujuan daripada PM Najib, walaupun dari segi kenaikan royalti minyak, autonomi urus tadbir, pengiktirafan UEC atau kegunaan BI sebagai bahasa rasmi untuk Sarawak. Malah, larangan mengunakan perkataan Allah juga”.

Disebalik cubaan untuk menafikan usaha CM Adenan, kenyataan diatas menunjukan beliau sangat berminat untuk bermain isu agama dalam politik Sarawak, sedangkan beliau tahu isu Kalimah Allah tidak berlaku di negeri ini melainkan ada individu seperti Baru Bian yang kemaruk untuk meraih perhatian rakyat, khususnya kaum Dayak.

Baru Bian turut menyataan kekecewaannya kerana CM Adenan secara terbuka menyokong kepimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Naijib.

Menurut Baru Bian, Perdana Menteri sedang disiasat oleh pihak tertentu di Luar Negara kerana peranannya dalam 1MDB. Namun beliau tidak berani menyebut dengan jelas pihak mana yang telah menyiasat Datuk Seri Najib, kerana pihak berkuasa Switzerland yang didakwa PKR sebelum ini telah pun menafikan sebarang siasatan yang melibatkan perdana menteri.

Inilah taktik pembohong seorang ahli politik yang kecewa setelah mempromosikan diri sebagai bakal Ketua Menteri Sarawak pada PRN ke 10 yang lalu.

Baru Bian juga menyatakan kekesalannya yang jelas menunjukkan beliau tidak peka terhadap system pentadbiran kerajaan pusat dalam menyalurkan bantuan kepada mangsa banjir. Sebaliknya Baru Bian hanya melihat bantuan RM40,000 yang diberi kerajaan PKR Selangor.

Jika inilah cara beliau menilai, maka beliau akan terus melagukan rasa kecewa setiap kali mengeluarkan kenyataan media.

Memang, Baru Bian akan terus melahirkan kekecewaannya dengan taktik politik seperti ini. Lagi pun momentum sokongan rakyat bukan kepada PKR, tapi cenderung kepada DAP. -SARAWAKIANA

Why are Dayaks still described as ‘lain-lain’?

COMMENT: Despite Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s insistence and the demand by the Dayaks to get rid of the words “lain-lain” in government official forms, the federal authorities are still using the term to label the Dayaks.

Adenan has often called on the federal authorities not to look down on the Dayak community.

His latest call was made on Feb 27 when he was interviewed by RTM.

Yet the words “lain-lain” still appear, and this time on the Election Commission’s report on the number of voters in Sarawak in the 31 parliamentary seats.

According to the report, the number of voters in Sarawak is 1,083,972.

Of the number, the Malays form about 19.70%, Chinese 32.51%, Indians 0.19% and “lain” 47.6%.

The Dayaks, who form the majority in the state, simply do not exist as a race or as a community.

What is even stranger is that the Election Commission is under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Have they (the federal authorities) ignored the calls by the chief minister and the Dayak community? Or are they simply looking down on the Dayak community.

When this information was released to social media and Facebook, it went not only viral, but received angry comments and reactions from some Dayaks.

A FB account holder Philip Tero asked: “Where are the Dayak voters? Dayaks must be aliens that Putrajaya must have imported from foreign countries.

“Dayaks are only needed for their votes, but unwanted by the country called Malaysia even after 52 years of so-called independent Sarawak.

“No wonder Dayaks are being marginalised by the power that exists. This is most disgusting.”

Another FB account holder Andrew Nyabe, a potential DAP candidate for Kedup, said there were several comments about Dayaks being referred to as “lain-lain” early last year.

He said to his Dayak friends and others as well that what happened had been just talk and not much beyond that.

“Where are all the Dayak legislators in Parliament and even in the Council Negeri?

“Unless and until there are amendments to the relevant articles, clauses or sub-clauses to the federal government, the Dayaks will remain “lain-lain”.

“Is it so difficult for them to move a Bill in Parliament to have this alien stigma removed?” Andrew asked.

“If they cannot do that in the last 52 years, don’t vote them again.”

Early last year, the Dayaks protested that they did not want to be labeled as “lain-lain” in the race column of government official forms and wanted to be known as “Dayaks”.

DAP and PKR took advantage of the issue, calling on the state government to take immediate action.

Sarawak PKR chief and Ba’Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian called for an amendment to the federal constitution and the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance 2005 to legalise the meaning of the word “Dayaks”.

Meanwhile, another opposition leader and Kota Sentosa Assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, moved a motion in the State Legislative Assembly in April last year, but his motion was rejected by the Speaker on grounds that the motion was not “proper”.

Chong’s motion sought to amend the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance 2005 to officially and legally designate Sarawak’s natives as “Dayaks”.

The amendment would place the Bidayuhs, Bukitans, Bisayahs, Dusuns, Ibans, Kadayans, Kelabits, Kayans, Kenyahs (including Sabups and Sipengs), Kajangs (including Sekapans, Kejamans, Lahanans, Punans, Tanjongs and Kanowits), Lugats, Lisums, Melanaus, Muruts, Penans, Sians, Tagals, Tabuns and Ukits under a single category called “Dayaks”.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak president James Masing, who is Land Development Minister, described Chong’s motion as akin to “putting the cart before the horse” as the party failed to follow proper procedures such as by calling for an amendment to the federal constitution first.

“First there is a need to amend the federal constitution. That is the first step to take. Once the amendments are made, then the state would follow suit,” Masing told a news conference.

Masing said that the PRS MPs were working on the issue at the federal level, and he stressed that the Dayaks were not as ignorant as what the opposition would like everyone to believe.

“Our boys are doing it at the A-G (Attorney-Genera) Chambers, but we don’t politicise it.

The relevant article in the Federal Constitution which should be amended is Article 161A which defines the natives of Sarawak.

Chong, who is Sarawak DAP chief and the MP for Bandar Kuching, raised the issue in Parliament in March 2015.

He was told that the issue had been entrusted to a Dayak technical committee whose membership included Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Entulu, who is deputy PRS president and Douglas Uggah, a senior PBB leader and Minister of Plantation Industries and commodities.

After being pressured by Dayak non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and opposition parties, Entulu came out with a statement in late October 2015, saying that the Dayaks would no longer need to identify themselves as “lain-lain” in government forms after the cabinet had approve it as a listed race.

“Now the word ‘Dayak’ will be printed on all official forms. The government forms will have ‘Melayu’, ‘Cina’, ‘India’, ‘Dayak’ and ‘lain-lain’ for the minority races other than the major races,” he was quoted as saying.

But the Election Commission is still using “lain-lain” to label the Dayaks in Sarawak.

What do Masing and Entulu have to say now?

-THE ANT DAILY

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