MPs, moderators and representatives from NGOs gather for a group photo after the dialogue.
KUCHING: A total of 16 local NGOs came together last weekend to have a dialogue with Sarawak members of Parliament.
Organised by Bersih Sarawak, it aimed to create a platform for civil society organisations to introduce their areas of work as well as to lobby their issues, and agenda for reform with the parliamentarians.
“It was hence convened in the spirit of participatory democracy and engagement or input by grassroots organisations like NGOs to policy or decision-making bodies like Parliament of which the elected reps are members,” said Ann Teo, the organising chairperson of the dialogue.
She added that it also allows them to be part of the process of nation-building in the New Malaysia.
Those in attendance included Selangau MP and Works Minister Baru Bian, Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, and Miri MP Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng.
Ann Teo added that they were disappointed that out of the 31 MPs of Sarawak who were invited only three of them came.
“Some did send their apologies but most did not give any reason for not being able to come.”
The 16 NGOs are broadly categorised into seven clusters, ranging from education, health care, democracy, human rights and institutional reform to environment and indigenous and land rights.
Each NGO presented their issues, agenda and demands for reforms in their respective area of work in Sarawak.
Amongst their target groups or mission field are the poor, women and children needing protection, people living with HIV, the marginalised, discriminated and Sarawakians in general.
Amongst the commonly occurring themes for reform is the problem of statelessness and identity cards. Documented cases were also submitted to the MPs along with the proposals for reform.
Stories of difficulties in accessing the National Registration Department (NRD) services were shared and nearly all concluded that accessing NRD services was often costly with the applicant having to make many trips, personality-dependent and no clear SOP and outcomes uncertain.
Other areas of concern submitted by the NGOs include electoral reforms including the need for automatic voter registration as a method to deal with the approximately 500,000 eligible but unregistered Sarawakians before the next Sarawak state election and political literacy and civic studies in schools.
Some NGOs also proposed the introduction of sexuality and gender education/studies which is age-appropriate into schools.
Also brought up were issues affecting indigenous peoples including identity card, and rights to NCR lands including the adoption and implementation of Suhakam’s report of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples published in 2013.
The expectation of civil society is that the MPs will foward key concerns to Parliament or relevant ministries and agencies.
“We also expect and trust that they will continually discuss those concerns and reforms with the NGOs,” said Ann Teo.
Arising from this dialogue, the groups will be looking at submitting their position papers or proposals to the members of Parliament and relevant ministers in due course.
Baru (second right) addresses a matter during the dialogue with Sarawak MPs.