BN govt took grabbed and snatched NCR land A Fact
Baru Bian, a renowned native customary land rights lawyer is also a member in Keadilan’s Political Bureau and Supreme Council. write to Honbill Unleashed the following.
While the cyber cynics may label blogging as talking to converts only and that we cannot talk to the rural people and will be useless in overthrowing the BN government of Sarawak. Hornbill Unleashed as a Sarawak-base communal blog is only to happy to show these cyber cynics how useful blogging, websites and internet portals are as a mean to overthrowing the BN government of Sarawak.
In his second trip to Sarawak within a week, PM Najib was evidently engaging himself to prepare BN Sarawak for a state election to fix his tattered electoral records and reputation.
The BN-controlled newspapers are obliged to put him on the front pages with whatever outrageous statements he cares to blurt out.
In Borneo Post on 19 June, the front page headline exclaimed “We’ll not take away your land: Najib”.
We will be wasting our breathe to say that Najib lied.
Najib being Najib, he gets away with anything!
Should Sarawakians just keep quiet? What can we do?
Baru Bian, renowned native customary land rights lawyer now appointed a member in Keadilan’s Political Bureau and Supreme Council, issued a press statement to refute Najib’s tall tale. Save for a Chinese daily, Baru’s statement was ignored.
“Let all be heard”, we may have repeated this for the umpteen time, this is a sacred role of the Malaysian blogs, websites and internet portals.
For the cyber cynics, please do not worry too much that we cannot talk to the rural Sarawakians. We have seen articles of Hornbill Unleashed, Rengah, Malaysiakini, Malaysia Today, Sarawak Headhunter and Audie61 etc being downloaded, printed and brought to a longhouse in Ulu Engkari, the content most likely been read and told to folks in the similarly rural longhouses and villages all over Sarawak.
Baru Bian’s statement herein will surely travel the distance as well …
Press Release By Baru Bian on 20 June 2009
It was reported as front page news in the Borneo Post on the 19th June 2009 that the BN Government will not take away the native customary lands of the natives. The PM was quoted to urge the people to “…have confident in Barisan Nasional (BN) government. We have no intention of grabbing anybody’s land. The Ibans should not worry. The BN government will not snatch your property.”
In reply I wish to say that this assurance if true, come too little too late.
The fact and the truth is that the people’s land, in particular, the natives’ customary lands had already been taken, grabbed and snatched under the BN government.
The fact that the PM made this statement today shows that the people in particular the natives are complaining that their NCR lands had been taken away summarily all these years.
The fact that my legal firm is handling over one hundred cases of NCR related cases show proofs that NCR lands had been taken, grabbed and snatched all these years, under the BN government, headed by the present CM Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Despite the landmark decision in the case of Nor Anak Nyawai which was affirmed by Madeli Salleh’s case in the Federal Court, (the highest court in Malaysia), the present State BN Government of Sarawak refused to accept the said Court’s decision that NCR Land includes not only “temuda” (secondary forest) but it extends to their “Pemakai menua” (territorial domain) and “Pulau” (reserved or preserved virgin forests). This refusal to accept the Court’s decision is reflected in the State Attorney-General’s Chambers’
defences representing the State Government, in these cases now pending hearing in the various High Courts through out the State of Sarawak.
I therefore urge the Honourable Prime Minister, to order, instruct and/or at least advise the present BN State Government through the CM Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud to return to the people all the NCR lands that had been “taken, grabbed and snatched” summarily all these years by revoking timber licences, provisional leases and replanting permit or other licences that includes and/or encroaches onto NCR lands.
Secondly, order that an independent Land Commission of Inquiry be set up to investigate all these violation of claims of NCR lands in Sarawak including the abuses by the police force of complainants relating to NCR disputes with companies, to show to the people of Sarawak, and Malaysian at large that this PM walks his talk.
This Land Commission of Inquiry should also look into all the hundred over cases now pending in the High Courts in Sarawak, thus helping in the backlog of cases in the High Court.
If the above proposal is not done within 1 month from today, I am afraid these statements are mere political gimmicks just to mislead the people in particular the Natives of Sarawak that this BN Government is now concerned with their affairs and problems. I believe these are but signs of the impending State General Election now looming in the horizon.
Lastly, it was also reported that “The Prime Minister said from his discussions with Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud he was convinced that the State’s model of native customary rights land development would ensure a better future for the Dayaks, particularly the Ibans.”
I believe that the State’s model of native customary rights land development referred is the “new way” of developing NCR Land popularly referred to as “The New Concept” or “Konsep Baru” the ‘brain-child’ of the present CM. Under this ‘Konsep Baru’, the landowners would have 30% shares equity, the developer 60% and the State Government 10%.
I am sad to say that the very first project launched in Kanowit based on this concept is a total failure. After 10 years of its launching, the developer is still unsure whether they can break-even in the years ahead thus causing much anxiety and trepidation to the natives who were lured in participating in this project years ago.
I have been instructed by some of these natives to take legal action against the State Government to protect the natives’ right over their NCR lands, as they have no confidence in this so called “Konsep Baru” or as the PM said the “State’s model of native customary rights land development” referred in the news report.
I dare say in the light of my knowledge of these issues, the statements made by the Honourable PM are mere political rhetoric, unless and until we can see in one (1) month time, my suggestion referred above are implemented; i.e. the return of NCR lands that had already been taken away and the setting up of a Land Commission of Inquiry to investigate these complaints of violation of NCR over lands in Sarawak.
So Honourable PM, prove to us natives of Sarawak, that you walk your talk in these matters!
😮
“Hornbill Unleashed invites readers to email us at hueditor@gmail.com with leads or other specific information on issues or individuals involved in or related to the article above.”
Hornbill Unleashed 
No one needs to be persuaded to believe that the predicaments esp we the ordinary native of Sarawak is in now is all the result of manipulation and corruption of the BN government. If that is so, why don’t we do the only one logical thing…just VOTE THEM OUT! The more vote the better to guarantee ALL the BN cronies are burried and gone. Please encourage all our young people 20 yrs and above to register NOW as voters. Every vote is precious, powerful and counts. Go! Go! Go!
Comment by BUJANG TATAU — October 12, 2009 @ 6:54 PM |
Lets spread the message to all sarawakian,especially the DAYAKS…young genaration….ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FOR TAIB N THE BN GOV`T.
We are running out of time..fellow Dayaks..if the present state BN gov`t with their Land policies is not voted-out,don`t be suprise,in 5-10 years time..we would be like the aborogines of Australia n the negros of the US..NO MORE LAND to be called our own..Our NCRL is our priceless ancestral assets,which we all hold DEAR to our hearts.
SO….LETS DO IT…START N SPREAD THE FIRE…. The PKR has unvailed a much better,people-friendly LAND POLICIES…give them the CHANCE to prove that.We have got nothing to loose.
Comment by jwanyi — October 3, 2009 @ 2:58 PM |
En. Baru Bian,
I trully appreciate your courage. I believe you have risen above the stage where duty is above money. I wish many more professionals like you would come foreward and speak the truth.
Your service will continue to save our people — the native of Sarawak, regardless of creed or culture who have been and would be victimized by pure greed of one man, his family and cronies! It’s total disgust to think that one day soon:
1) All the occupants of long houses and native villages throughout Sarawak will become squatters on their own land. Ownership of the plot upon which their home stand has ysteriously been registered under some alliens from somewhere.
2) Gone the land — gone too the site for the next farming season. Where will the farming native plant their crops of rice, their source of food?
3) Gone the farm gone too the farming seasons (umai-taun) the very foundation of native culture. Don’t your grandparents count their years — their age by the number of “temuda”?
4) Gone the culture, gone is the religious system that they have inheritted from their forefathers for generations.
If some people disagree and think that I appose progress and mordernization, they cannot be more wrong. I am not talking about remaining backward. The fact that I can even right in simple English is proof I believe in good education and progress. What I hate to think of is someone who tries all means to stop us from progressing by taking away our land and destroy our culture. After all, are we ready to move out at gun-point because we are squatters? Are we ready to give up our long house and move into cities?
Robbers never need to care about their victims. They kill if they have to so long as they get what they come for — your money, your property and your land — perhaps even your children too.
We have been cheated for so long and we have stupidly believe in “Anang muai printah. Anang ngelaban perintah. Pembangkang bejaku aja tang enda tau mai pemansang. BN perintah kitai.” It is time to STOP BEING STUPID. Throw BN out?
Comment by BUJANG TATAU — September 22, 2009 @ 7:26 PM |
The orang ulu communities recently had a line up of politically appointed pengulus and ketua kampungs who were hand picked from the less sensible individual in the kampung. How they braggg about their appointment,(not by merit) really shows how low their level of IQ or EQ really is. With these individuals at the wheel, the Dayak (Orang ulu)is getting nowhere. Just going in circles in a downward spiral. Unlike other associations, the Orang Ulu Association has become a political tool to opress the Orang Ulu community. So it is the moral duty of every single Dayak (Orang Ulu)to fight the injustice that is done to us all. Spread the words! Change the opressive BN gomen!
Comment by batulawi — September 18, 2009 @ 11:06 PM |
Taib is the biggest crook in the whole of Sarawak, and we Sarawakians STUPIDLY votes him back every time. He should be extradite to another country lah. Or he deserves to burn in hell for what he has done to the people here.
Comment by Wild Beast — July 20, 2009 @ 9:57 AM |
Hmm. Is it true? 🙂
Comment by flash — July 5, 2009 @ 1:59 PM |
Then what? What is next move? Vote for BN or dialog with voter
Comment by kelingmenua1 — July 4, 2009 @ 1:17 PM |
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Comment by Richard Loh — June 22, 2009 @ 3:01 PM |
Mr. Baru Bian locates his criticism of the”Konsep Baru” of NCR land “development” in the rhetorically potent position of last, as he should. When our kampong was approached by representatives of these con-men, I attempted to figure out exactly what that concept was, and came to the conclusion that is what a speculative mortgage upon hypothetical future gains with a real (in, I think, the legal sense) asset, viz. land, as collateral for this hypothetical profit. The concept is of dizzying complexity, like to the debt-swaps and bundlings that brought down the world economy. At bottom it is an excuse to “alienate” (to be kind) land. But think it through, and the assumption that the plantation-fronts are working on is that Dayaks are too stupid to know what to do with their land, that is, they don’t know how to exhaust it. When the economy really collapses, let’s see the élite coming to the ulu to beg ubi kayu from the people who were wise enough to plant it.
Comment by Sebuyau Pelanduk — June 22, 2009 @ 1:56 PM |
The rural folks know what Taib has done to them, they need little convincing. However it may be wrong to say that online messages totally cannot reach them as young Dayak working in urban centres can bring the message to the deepest longhouses.
Yes, they know Taib has marginalized them but they feel powerless to resist with their votes. The message to get out to the rural folks is that for the first time in Sarawak history, a change of govt is a feasible possibility. Then you’ll see their voting pattern change like a great toggle switch in the sky.
Comment by Kenny Gan — June 22, 2009 @ 10:48 AM |