Tony Thien
Sep 17, 07 11:52am
Feelings of marginalisation and deprivation are prevalent among the
Sarawak Dayak community despite the special rights and privileges
enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution and the safeguards to protect
native customary rights (NCR) land, said an opposition leader.
"After 44 years of independence where are we Dayaks in regard to the
implementation of social and economic activities within the ambit of
the special rights and privileges, including the safeguards to our
NCR land?"
This was the question posed by Sarawak National Party (Snap)
president Edwin Dundang Bugak when speaking at the party's 16th
triennial general assembly yesterday.
Dundang, who has been re-elected for a new three-year term, said
Malaysia is a partnership consisting of many partners based on the
social contract embodied in the Malaysian Constitution, Inter-
Governmental Commission Report and other related documents.
The social contract was agreed and signed by all partners as a basis
to form a new nation - Malaysia.
"We want every Malaysian to remember that Sarawak and Sabah agreed to
sign (the Malaysia Agreement) only when ( the country's first prime
minister) the late Tunku (Abdul Rahman) assured the inclusion of our
special rights and privileges, including the protection of our NCR
lands," said Dundang.
He added that Snap wanted to re-affirm the pledge to uphold the
Malaysian Constitution as the basis of the party's struggle.
"Without this document there is no Malaysia," he told some 100
delegates from 44 branches throughout Sarawak.
He said the terms and conditions, especially on the special rights
and privileges of the Dayaks cannot be disputed.
Greatest concern
Dundang said for the Dayaks, the greatest concern about forming
Malaysia then was the fear that they would lose their NCR lands.
"Now, despite the safeguards, most of the NCR lands are gone, not
taken and sold by outsiders as we feared but by our own Sarawak
people who abused their political power and positions," he added.
The Snap chief said Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) always claims that
there are about 1.5 million acres of NCR land in Sarawak.
"If the state government is sincere, transparent and has no hidden
agenda, we call on them to show where these NCR lands are," he added.
Dundang also spoke of the less equitable distribution of
opportunities for the Dayaks in education, the economy and the civil
service at both state and federal levels.
As for Snap, he told the delegates that they must continue with the
struggle despite the poor performance of the party in the past
elections.
Snap is facing an uncertain future as it is now appealing to the
court against a Kuala Lumpur High Court's ruling last year to uphold
the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) decision to de-register the party
in November 2002.
The party's struggle must continue irrespective of what happens after
the legal process has been exhausted, said Dundang.
Welcomes Umno
Dundang later told reporters that Snap would welcome the entry of
Umno into Sarawak if due respect and recognition is given to special
rights and privileges, including protection for NCR lands.
Responding to a question, he said the party has not come to the stage
to discuss whether to dissolve the party and have its members join Umno.
At the TGA, a former MP for Bintulu Ting Ling Kiew was elected the
new deputy president, succeeding Justine Jinggut, who did not seek re-
election.
Kebing Wan, a former political secretary to the chief minister, was
elected senior vice president, succeeding former senator Michael Bong.
Edmund Stanley Jugol was re-elected as secretary-general while
businesswoman Ibi Anak Uding was elected Wanita chief and Dayrell
Walter Entrie was re-elected as Youth chief.
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