KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on Friday welcomed the Sarawak Government’s decision to revoke, with effect from Jan 14, 2016, the Land (Native Customary Rights)(No.39) Direction 2013 and the Land (Native Customary Rights)(No.53) Direction 2014.
Its chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam in a statement yesterday said the laws would extinguish native customary rights on land in two areas designated as sites for the proposed Baram Hydroelectric Dam.
“This decision reflects the responsiveness of the state government to the concerns expressed by indigenous communities who will be adversely affected by the dam project,” he said.
Suhakam had received a memorandum from the affected communities in 2012 who raised concerns over possible human rights violations resulting from the proposed development and had visited the site in 2015 to gather feedback from the communities.
“The Commission found that the indigenous people from all 10 villages were not in favour of the project that would, among others, affect their ancestral land. It also observed that the proposed project would impede their traditional activities and result in substantial resettlement of communities,” he said. — Bernama