Penans at Murum satisfied their demands have been heard and agree to stop blockade
Liwan (second right) speaking to the media after a closed door meeting in the presence of Sikie (left) and the Penans at the Murum HEP Dam site office in Murum.
Belaga police monitoring the dispersal of the Penans from the blockade site at Murum HEP Dam site yesterday.
MURUM: Penans from Tegulang Resettlement Scheme (TRS) dismantled their blockade at the Murum HEP Dam site after a closed-door meeting with Belaga assemblyman and Assistant Minister of Culture Liwan Lagang and Heritage and Assistant Minister of Native Adat and Penan Affairs Datuk John Sikie Tayai at the dam site office here yesterday.
The 45 minute meeting was tense and voices were raised as the Penans demanded the fulfillment of promises made to them for agreeing to make way for the dam.
The Belaga police station deployed 12 men to the site to ensure safety of the Murum HEP Dam contractor, sub-contractors and their workers.
Belaga acting police chief Inspector Mohd Sohffian Abu Hassan, Belaga District Officer Abdul Halim Abdullah and several SEB officers were also present at the meeting.
After the meeting, chairman of the Murum Penan development Committee (MPDC) Labang Paneh said he would listen to the advice of both Liwan and Sikie to stop the blockade.
“Actually we do not want to put up the blockade as if we are looking for trouble. In fact we have written so many letters to the relevant authorities and we have held talks and dialogues with them but there was just no positive response.
“We have no choice but to stage this blockade. It is actually our last resort. I hope this time the government would come to our assistance as promised to us,” he said.
Labang thanked the state government for sending both Liwan and Sikie to meet them.
“We also like to thank the police for their understanding and we will be taking their advice to disperse as we have aired our frustration to the right channel,” he added.
Earlier Liwan told The Borneo Post that he would convey to the state government what the Penans at TRS demanded.
“The three major things that the Penans here requested are an access road linking their resettlement area to the main road, a health clinic and a school. These are very reasonable requests and I would be bringing these matters up to the relevant authorities and find ways how best they could be implemented as soon as possible.
“I am very thankful to these Penans actually, because they have been very patient,” stressed Liwan.
He also took a swipe at SEB for not sending any senior officers to meet the Penans and attend the meeting.
“I hope SEB would be more respectful of the needs of the Penans as well as to our presence in trying to find amicable solutions to their predicament,” added Liwan.
Both Liwan and Sikie later made a joint statement to key personnel of relevant agencies to go down to assess the situation themselves rather than ignoring the pleas of the Penans forcing them to stage the blockade as a last resort to vent their frustration.
Halim urged the relevant agency to immediately repair and upgrade the access road from TRS to the present temporary school as it would ease the problems of the Penans sending their children to school.
“Presently the road condition is very bad especially when it is raining. So I hope the relevant agency should look into this matter so that the Penans will not have to carry on with the blockade again,” added Halim.