KUCHING: Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) said it held its triennial national assembly (TNA) last Sunday as required by the Societies Act 1966.
Its president Sidi Munan said this when reacting to a claim that they had breached the rule which require them to hold a triennial general meeting (TGM).
The following persons were elected or re-elected members of its national executive committee:Sidi Munan, Munan Laja, Nicholas Mujah, Maxwell Rojis, Tedewin Ngumbang and Ngalang Ajan. They were all re-elected to retain their posts as president, deputy president, secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, treasurer and assistant treasurer respectively.
The appointed committee members were Jacob Imang, Melvyn Tajem, Jemat Baga, Seta Engkah, Tuai Rumah Ayum, Richard Will, Datuk Dr Anthony Nait.
The meeting also authorised the president to appoint individuals to lead various bureaus of the association.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang told a press conference here yesterday that the current situation experienced by Sadia “all boils down to responsibility”.
Being a prominent Iban leader, Jabu who is also Modernisation of Agriculture Minister disclosed that he (Jabu) could not be responsible for which he did not have an authority on.
“We need to be responsible for whatever form we take. There are certain rules and regulations that everybody must adhere to. If you fail to follow such rules, then this type of things would hit you,” he said when met after officiating at the state Agriculture Department Research Officers’ Progress Meeting at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel Kuching.
He then advised the public not to assume the worst over Sadia.
Yesterday, The Borneo Post published an article implying that Sadia may be facing the risk of deregistration if it fails to explain why it should not, following allegation of breaches of several Societies Act provisions.
On another issue, Sidi said Sadia has no right to question members over their right to vote for candidates of their choice in state or parliamentary elections.
He was responding to an allegation that the association was indirectly involved in the Batang Ai by-election in 2008.
“There are so many members of Sadia in Batang Ai. On the one hand, the voters among them might have voted against the Barisan Nasional (BN) government on the issue of illegal encroachment into Native Customary Rights land. On the other hand, many members might have voted for BN candidate for reasons best known to themselves. Sadia has no right or inclination to question their rights to vote for candidates of their choice,” he said.
Sidi categorically denied Sadia’s involvement in the by-election.
The other charge against Sadia was failure to submit its annual reports for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Sidi clarified that the association would wait for the response from RoS, saying if it were to be in the negative, Sadia would submit an appeal. He said members would be updated from time to time.