KOTA MARUDU: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) is calling on the private sector to come forward to “tell their side of the story” concerning the ongoing National Inquiry on Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights.
Its research group team leader, Dr Fadzilah Majid-Cooke, said that inputs from the private sector would help in achieving the objectives of the inquiry.
Dr Fadzilah, who is a sociologist attached to the Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said so far some companies had been very helpful to the research work which was aimed at looking into the kinds of issues that had developed from the implementation of legislation on land, policies and implementation as well as their effects on indigenous peoples’ access into customary land in the State.
“The inputs given to us are extremely helpful for the research. But obviously we expect more to come forward to tell us their side of the story,” she said in reference to the many companies that are occupying or in the process of occupying territories claimed by indigenous peoples as theirs under native customary rights.
The national inquiry is being conducted to tackle the root causes of issues comprehensively by taking cognizance of the experiences of indigenous peoples all over Malaysia and seen from human rights lens.
Suhakam is currently holding public consultation sessions in the district with all parties concerned, including government agencies, non-governmental organisations, indigenous communities, private sector and other interested parties.
The consultation is a platform to gather appropriate information and input from relevant stakeholders on the recognition and issues of land rights of indigenous peoples.
Dr Fadzilah noted that the participation of representatives from several government agencies throughout the exercise since its first day in Keningau and their subsequent inputs had contributed a balanced view for the commissioners whose main intention is to look at the whole issue from the human rights perspective.
But she said considering the magnitude of the problem, the commission certainly welcomes more parties involved, not only the indigenous peoples, to share their inputs.