15 April 2024
On Today Show
— Roland Engan, Human Rights and Land Lawyer NCR – Empowering Indigenous Communities: Suggestions for Amending the Sarawak Land Code
— Nick Kelesau, Penan activist – Long Belok Fire: GPS Government Faces Criticism for Failure to Aid Rebuilding Efforts
— Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder and Advocacy Director of Undi18 Malaysia – Undi18 Calls for Expert Election Commission Chair Amidst Calls for Electoral Reform
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Roland Engan, Peguam Hak Asasi Manusia dan Tanah NCR - Memperkasakan Komuniti- Komuniti Pribumi: Cadangan untuk Meminda Kod Tanah Sarawak
— Nick Kelesau, Aktivis Penan - Kebakaran Long Belok: Kerajaan GPS Menghadapi Kritikan Kerana Gagal Memberi Bantuan dalam Usaha Pembinaan Semula
— Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder dan Pengarah Advokasi Undi18 Malaysia - Undi18 Mendesak Pengambilan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya yang Pakar di Tengah Seruan untuk Reformasi Pilihan Raya
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*Special Randau*
1. Singapore's Prime Minister will step down in May next year. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced through a social media post that his deputy, Lawrence Wong, will be sworn in as Prime Minister on the evening of 15 May 2024.
2. Six different celebrations are observed in a week, reflecting Malaysia's diversity, said Minister of Unity Aaron Ago Dagang. The six celebrations referred to are Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Ugadi, Tamil New Year, Vaisakhi, Hari Vishu, and Songkran.
3. No compromise in making Malaysia a multicultural country - says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
4. Boycott MD campaign - 3 men arrested for threatening customers. The arrests were made by police in Kuantan, Pahang, and Kelantan.
5. The reform of the Sarawak Land Code 1958 needs to be expedited. Abolish section 5(7) of the Sarawak Land Code - says NCR lawyer and Human Rights lawyer Roland Engan.
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Roland Engan, Human Rights and Land Lawyer NCR
*Empowering Indigenous Communities: Suggestions for Amending the Sarawak Land Code*
Roland explained that section 5(7) of the Sarawak Land Code is not only unfair but also cruel to the people of Sarawak. He suggested that section 5(7) of the Sarawak Land Code be repealed.
According to Roland- currently if there is a dispute over the ownership of NCR land, the land is automatically considered government land.
With the repeal of section 5(7) when there is a dispute, so it is the government that should prove they are entitled to the land with written evidence/letters or maps kept at the land office.
With the current situation, the biggest losers are the bumiputras of Sarawak and the biggest winners are developers who are awarded PL. It should be when the Bumiputra people become the Premier and dominate the state administration. The rightful rights of land owners should be restored.
However, Roland also suggested that the amendment of the Sarawak Land Code involves all non-grant land being considered as customary land. Traditional village boundary land is a custom that has the force of law. Customary land rights cannot be abolished. The Bumiputra of Sarawak can lease their land to the government as well as to non-bumiputra parties and the Indigenous Land Development Fund must be established.
Lastly, Roland suggested that tribal leaders and community leaders must be chosen by themselves according to local community customs and traditions and tribal leaders and community leaders be empowered under the Native Court Ordinance to hear customary land cases.
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Nick Kelesau, Penan activist
*Long Belok Fire: GPS Government Faces Criticism for Failure to Aid Rebuilding Efforts*
Kampung Long Belok in Apoh, Baram, faced a fire incident on 5 April, leaving 28 villagers from eight families homeless, with six doors destroyed. The value of losses has yet to be established. Kampung Long Belok is approximately 209 km from the Marudi fire station, estimated to be a four-hour journey via logging roads.
The Baram NGO-Pewaris promptly donated clothes, food, and kitchen utensils to the victims, allowing them to cope with their immediate needs. However, it has been 10 days since the fire, and the victims are still sleeping in the church or with relatives. What they currently need are materials to rebuild their homes.
Nick Kelesau stated that so far, the GPS government or its representatives have not provided direct assistance. The victims initially requested materials to build their homes but later lowered their request to just tools so they could cut the basic wood needed for construction. However, even this request has not been fulfilled, as the logging company, which only verbally promised assistance, has not followed through.
Nick expressed shame over the situation, especially since the fire station is so far away from the village, making it unable to respond in time. Additionally, the resources provided by the government are inadequate. This has left the victims of Long Belok still in dire conditions.
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Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder and Advocacy Director of Undi18 Malaysia
*Undi18 Calls for Expert Election Commission Chair Amidst Calls for Electoral Reform*
Undi18 has called on Putrajaya to appoint an electoral expert with experience and knowledge in elections to fill the Election Commission chair when Abdul Ghani Salleh retires next month.
Undi18 feels that it is crucial to choose the best candidate for this critical post, especially in the long run. The new chair will carry the responsibility to ensure that the redelineation process for Sarawak, Sabah, and West Malaysia takes place in 2025 and 2026. Undi18 urges for law reform, especially in terms of the Election Offences Act, financial audits for every candidate, and other necessary reforms.
Secondly, the best candidate is needed to bring about reforms to upgrade the current systems. Currently, there is an issue where individuals with no experience in the election process, often retired high-ranking officers, are appointed to the Election Commission. They may lack interest in addressing issues within the SPR. Lastly, Undi18 emphasizes that the candidate should not be from any political party to avoid bias.
The Malaysian Election Commission is currently very rigid and conservative, lacking the ability to handle repeated errors in overseas postal voting and unwilling to consider allowing East Malaysian voters to vote in West Malaysia or allowing nearly hundreds of thousands of Malaysian voters living in Singapore to vote in Singapore.
NGOs have proposed electronic voting as a solution to the longstanding issue of postal voting, which would extend the registration of postal voters and automatically renew their status, but these proposals have not been addressed.
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