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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Sarawak polls will set pace for peninsula

West Malaysians are 'too disconnected' from East Malaysia according to Bersih 2.0 chief Ambiga Sreenivasan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Whether Chief Minister Taib Mahmud dissolves the assembly today or after the weekend visit by the prime minister and his deputy to Sarawak, the upcoming state polls must be closely watched for ‘rigging’.

That’s the view of Bersih 2.0 (Coalition for Free & Fair Elections) chairperson Ambiga Sreenivasan.

According to her “if elections are rigged in Sarawak…they will be rigged here.”

“West Malaysia is too disconnected from East Malaysia… If you liberate Sarawak, in my view, you liberate (Peninsular) Malaysia,” she said.

Earlier in the week Ambiga had urged voters to “take it to the streets of the Sarawak elections are rigged.”

Speaking at a forum last night, she said it suited the “powers that be that West Malaysians don’t get involved” in the Sarawak polls.

“I don’t think a lot of people appreciate how much Sarawakians suffer when they protect their lands,” she said at the forum on ‘Sarawak: Tanah, Adat dan Pilihan Raya (Sarawak: Land, Custom and Election)’.

The forum was jointly organsied by Bersih 2.0, the Civil Rights Committee and Loyar Burok at the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. It saw an array of panellists take to the stage to educate participants regarding the political situation in Sarawak.

The forum featured Mark Bujang, executive director of the Borneo Resources Institute (Brimas); Abun Sui, coordinator of Sarawak Indigenous Lawyers Alliance (SILA); Minggat Nyakin, a retired civil servant and recent victim of a beating by employees of a logging company in Sarawak; Nicholas Mujah, secretary-general of the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA); and Peter John Jaban of Radio Free Sarawak (DJ Papa Orangutan) who conferenced via Skype from London.

The panel was moderated by Wong Chin Huat, Bersih 2.0 steering committee member.

The speakers took the opportunity to relate their grievances and discuss the various human rights abuses that had occurred in Sarawak.

Attacked for defending land

A panellist who drew especial attention from the audience was Minggat, who along with his son was physically assaulted by loggers and left for dead.

His relating of the ordeal drew a standing ovation from the crowd.

Minggat, who had a parcel of land at Sungai Rotan and Sungai Penyaru Kuba, found that illegal logging had continued on their land.

He and his son had decided to negotiate with the logging company’s manager, but were instead attacked.

“Why am I beaten up for defending my rights to my land?”

Throughout his relating of his tale, he apologized for his hoarse voice, a souvenir from the altercation.

Mujah explained that the conflicts to do with native customary rights were a systemic problem, designed to oppress and marginalise the people.

He underlined the need for information, highlighting that it is “lack of information and greed” which lead to misunderstandings.

“It’s the rich and elite giving leases and permits to their friends, colluding to take away our lands.”

Polls anytime now

The evening ended with Peter John explaining why he had started Radio Free Sarawak, and exhorting the crowd to get rid of Taib.

He explained that he had left Sarawak because he felt for Sarawakians who had their land seized by Taib.

He told the crowd that he had to be strong and not worry about his family in Kuching because “if I lose, Taib wins”.

The forum ended with cries of “Undur Sekarang, Thirty Years Is Enough!” and the waving of placards with anti-Taib slogans.

The crowd then congregated at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall parking lot, holding their protest placards.

Taib has been in power for 30 years, and is also the state finance minister as well as planning and resources minister.

He and his family are allegedly worth several billions of ringgit and have maintained a tight grip on Sarawak, despite accusations of abuse of power, nepotism, land grabs, corruption and illegal deforestation.

The state polls are expected to be called anytime soon with many political pundits speculating that Taib might even decide to dissolve the state assembly as early as today. - FMT

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