HEY THERE: Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong (left) shares a light moment with Batang Ai assemblyman Malcolm Mussem Lamoh before the start of State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday. The DUN sitting will end on May 15.
Malcom Mussen Mussen Lamoh (BN-Batang Ai) has dismissed suggestion that the Dayak Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen do not support the recognition of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
He said this suggestion was made by certain quarters, following the rejection of the Private Member’s Bill moved by Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian to amend the Sarawak Land Code by the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Tuesday.
“It is not that we are not concerned about the issue that was raised but the state government is committed to come up with a legislation that will give recognition to pulau galau (communal forest reserve) and pemakai menoa (communal land).
“It is not for me to say whether it will be legally binding or not. It is up to the people who will be involved in drafting this legislation. I hope when the legislation is drafted later on, people from both political divides and non-governmental organisations should be involved,” Malcom said in a press conference at the sidelines of the DUN sitting here yesterday.
When asked if Baru should be one of the experts to be included in drafting the law, Malcom responded, “Probably yes, we are very open whether the person is from the opposition or BN. Even the non-governmental organisations like the Sarawak Dayak National Union can be included”.
He said the government’s commitment to undertake perimeter survey since the year 2000 was a testament that it recognised the Dayak community had right over their NCR land, adding that the Dayak community should appreciate the government’s good intention to come up with this programme.
“I take this opportunity to thank the government of the day for taking up the initiative to come up with some fund (to conduct perimeter survey) because the government sees that it is very important to determine which land belongs to the state and which land belongs to the natives.”
Meanwhile, Abdullah Saidol said as per the DUN hansard the government would be coming up with a bill to amend the Sarawak Land Code, which will probably more comprehensive than the one tabled on Tuesday.
Saidol, who is also state Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman, said it was the backbenchers’ hope that the government and policy makers would bring the issue of NCR land to be deliberated in a proper forum.
“On the native law, we need people who have knowledge on the native custom and everybody can claim to be native specialists. Therefore, we hope that the people to preside on native law must have relevant knowledge on NCR laws or practice.”
Saidol, who is chief political secretary to Chief Minister, said while he understood that the natives were fighting for their rights over NCR land, but at the same time, the government also wished for them to understand that it was the government’s intention to make their land productive.
When asked whether the proposed amendment of the Sarawak Land Code should include the concept of NCR land for other native ethnics such as the Malays and Melanaus, Saidol said, “Yes, I hope so. At the same time, from my own experience in my own village, we had to sacrifice some parts of our land to enable them to be developed.
“Otherwise, if its not developed, how are we going to get access road? We depend very much on the government to come up with some plans. We were lucky that the government had acknowledged Tanjung Manis, which is very near to my village. It was developed and we benefited from the development indirectly.”
“I must thank my elders that they were willing to part away a bit of their land to be developed and thereafter, my generation benefited from it. That is what going forward means.
“Sometimes in doing so, we hope the government also acknowledges the sensitivity of things, especially the customs of the people. Some of us may want physical development but losing land can be something of a matter of pride.”