PAKAN: Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowners in the state will be the ultimate losers if they allowed themselves to be influenced by instigation and opposition from Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) radio station.
Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang said this at a meet-the-people session at Rh.Jimbai Megat in Nanga Empit, here, yesterday.
He said RFS deejays were manipulating the Perimeter Survey initiative almost endlessly in its nightly broadcasts which was at the expense of the government, its leaders and its elected representatives.
“They simply dismiss it as another ploy of the government to usurp such land belonging to the rakyat. I would like to ask if the deejays and those who phone-in, how much of their land has the government taken away with the survey?” he asked.
Salang who is also Julau member of parliament said if Clare Rawcastle Brown, the owner of the radio station, could understand and speak Iban, its main language used, she would find that the radio was not always telling the truth.
“She has always been denying this and saying that the radio was helping the people to expose the tyranny and abuse of power by the government towards the NCR landowners and the rural folk,” he said.
He stressed that every policy of the government had its objective which was meant for the people’s well-being and benefit.
“In the case of the perimeter survey, it is basically to separate the NCR from the state land and to define their boundaries.
“When NCR land are properly identified, they can be used in large scale land development activities to give long term income to the owners. In addition, at a later stage, such land can be issued individual titles,” he said.
Earlier Salang also officiated a gotong royong to spruce up the surroundings of the tomb/monument of Rentap or Libau who was one of the state’s greatest nationalists in the time of the White Rajah in Bukit Sibau here.
Speaking to the media he said he hoped the young dayak generation could emulate the indomitable spirit of Rentap.
“When you have to really do something for the good of all and in all sincerity, you must not give up despite facing the odd or challenges,” he said. — Bernama