24 April 2024
On Today Show
— Iswardy Morni, Political Analyst from Sarawak – Don't blame PMX, blame GPS and the Premier of Sarawak
— Robert from Sebauh Bintulu – Timber Theft Alert: NCR Land in Sebauh Bintulu
— Nicholas Mujah Ason, Member of the Indigenous Foundation Council (FSC) – Uniting for Land Rights: Nicholas Mujah Support The Campaign Against Section 5(7)
— Vinothan from National Marhaen Farmers Association – Defending Tradition: Farmers' Stand Against Sime Darby's Eviction
Topik Pada Hari Ini
- Iswardy Morni, Analis Politik dari Sarawak - Jangan salahkan PMX, salahkan GPS dan Premier Sarawak
- Robert dari Sebauh Bintulu - Amaran Pencurian Kayu: Tanah NCR di Sebauh Bintulu
- Nicholas Mujah Ason, Ahli Majlis Yayasan Orang Asli (FSC) - Bersatu untuk Hak Tanah: Sokongan Nicholas Mujah Terhadap Kempen Menentang Seksyen 5(7)
- Vinothan dari Gabungan Penternak Nasional Marhaen - Mempertahankan Tradisi: Penduduk Berdiri Menentang Pengusiran Sime Darby
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*Special Randau*
1. Don't blame PMX. Blame GPS and Premier Sarawak - says Iswardy Morni. The appointment of 4 individuals to the Policy Advisory Committee to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. No representatives from Sarawak are believed to be appointed due to Sarawak's reluctance to send representatives. Sarawak believes they will formulate their own policies different from Putrajaya. Previously, many federal government policies could not be implemented in Sarawak due to opposition from GPS.
2. The opposition proposes a special parliamentary session to appoint the Chairman of the Election Commission. The current Chairman of the EC, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh, is due to retire in May. Member of Parliament for Indera Mahkota, YB Saifuddin Abdullah, proposed that Parliament determine/select the new Chairman of the EC.
3. BERSIH 2.0 - proposes 19 amendments out of 40 sections of the Election Offences Act 1954. In the "100% Reform" campaign, BERSIH also proposes that the EC be given the power to issue compound notices up to RM10,000. The last review of the Election Offences Act was in 2003. That is, 21 years ago.
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Iswardy Morni, Political Analyst from Sarawak
*Don't blame PMX, blame GPS and the Premier of Sarawak*
Two days ago, the office of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim issued a media statement announcing the appointment of 4 individuals to the Policy Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister. They are PETRONAS Chairman - Hassan Marican, Economist - Professor Dr. Yeah Kim Leng, Researcher - Dr. Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, and corporate sector representative - Executive Chairman of FVSB Sdn.Bhd Ahmad Fuad Md Ali.
The four of them will advise the prime minister on national development and economic resilience. They will not be paid a salary. However, since the media statement was issued, the public in Sarawak has begun to criticize the prime minister for being unfair. There are no representatives from Sabah and Sarawak in the Committee. Despite the fact that the states with the highest number of poor people are in Sabah and Sarawak, and Sabah and Sarawak are geographically quite far from the administrative center of Putrajaya. Don't blame PMX, blame GPS and the Premier of Sarawak - says Iswardy. Previously, many policies and initiatives that accelerated and strengthened the development of states and the country were implemented in other states but opposed in Sarawak. For example, GPS opposed the implementation of MPKK, PEDI, and the latest is PADU. Several central government proposals related to communication, education, and health could not be implemented in Sarawak because Sarawak insisted on maintaining its autonomy. I support Sarawak in maintaining autonomy over appropriate matters. But if the central government's proposals accelerate and enhance state administration, they should be approved. It seems that GPS and the Premier of Sarawak are afraid of the reforms implemented by PMX and they want to maintain their popularity in Sarawak. Iswardy advised the leaders of GPS Sarawak to accept any good proposals that can improve the living standards of the people of Sarawak. GPS wants to manage their affairs in Sarawak. This will prevent the people from being grateful to PMX.
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Robert from Sebauh Bintulu
*Timber Theft Alert: NCR Land in Sebauh Bintulu*
Today, a call from Sebauh Bintulu from Mr. Robert informed RFS that his NCR land was encroached upon by a company to take timber. When Mr. Robert visited the site unexpectedly, only a few workers from Indonesia were present at the site, but unfortunately, these workers did not cooperate in revealing the name of the company they were operating for. A police report has been made, and Mr. Robert was informed that if not for the permission of the Village Chief, the timber company would not dare to enter. Mr. Robert is very angry, and in the near future, a media report will be made to expose illegal logging activities on Mr. Robert's NCR land.
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Nicholas Mujah Ason, Member of the Indigenous Foundation Council (FSC)
*Uniting for Land Rights: Nicholas Mujah Support The Campaign Against Section 5(7)*
Nicholas Mujah has expressed his views on the campaign to repeal section 5(7) of the Sarawak Land Code.
He strongly supports the campaign to repeal section 5(7). He stated that this section is not suitable for use against the Dayak community, who mostly have large NCR (Native Customary Rights) land, and that the rights to this land often lead to many losing their land. This issue has been raised for a long time, and petitions have been submitted to the Sarawak government, but so far, there has been no further action from the government. Therefore, Roland Engan's action in raising this issue again is commendable, as it has long been a source of pain for the Dayak people regarding their customary land.
Nicholas Mujah mentioned that he has more than 50 land cases that have not been resolved due to section 5(7), which prevents these cases from being resolved. He explained in detail what is contained in section 5(7). Although there was already a law in 1958, it was more about the decisions made by the Director of Land and Survey, as the power of the Director of Land and Survey was absolute. Unfortunately, this power has been transferred to the minister in charge or the Minister's office responsible for land matters, after an amendment in 2001.
The latest case, for example, the case of Tuai Rumah Nyutan, where the land was recognized by the government at one time and was legally valid, but because the power of the Director of Land and Survey allows for independent decisions, the customary land case of Tuai Rumah Nyutan was canceled, causing problems for the Nyutan TR community.
Therefore, the campaign to repeal section 5(7) is timely for the people to unite and speak out for its repeal.
This is why the unity of indigenous peoples internationally (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) is important, as this highest level can also be used to challenge the laws of the Director of Land and Survey and political power. This issue has been discussed at the Asian and international levels because land issues are also a global indigenous issue.
Nicholas Mujah has just returned from overseas to discuss indigenous land rights issues. He said that, our hope as indigenous people is that if the laws in the UNDRIP are accepted by the Malaysian government, we can use them to challenge any laws in our country that oppress indigenous rights. What is needed now is for us to have representatives who are brave enough to speak out in the state assembly or Parliament so that land laws can be resolved through political will as a whole.
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Vinothan from National Marhaen Farmers Association
*Defending Tradition: Farmers' Stand Against Sime Darby's Eviction*
Vinothan is one of the buffalo breeders facing forced eviction of their buffaloes from Sime Darby plantations in several states in West Malaysia. They have formed the Gabungan Penternak National Marhaen. This group will submit a memorandum to the Ministry of Agriculture to seek the intervention of the minister.
Vinothan is the fourth generation from his great-grandfather's time, who was once a plantation worker and allowed to rear buffaloes in the plantation to eat the grass, which would lower the cost of cutting the grass in the plantation. This is part of the integration system. However, isolated cases have occurred in the plantation, and as a result, Sime Darby wants all the buffaloes to be removed. This would cause great losses because the breeders depend on the grass in the plantation to feed their buffaloes and cannot afford to buy food for them from the market. They are now categorized as trespassers. Vinothan's great-grandparents and grandparents were plantation workers and stayed in the estate.
Vinothan is not a stranger to all the workers. However, Vinothan and his team can still enter the estate, but there is resistance from Sime Darby. Therefore, the group is seeking a win-win situation with the intervention of the Minister.