KUCHING: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) has urged all community leaders, intellectuals and professionals from the Dayak communities to join the workshop to deliberate on the definitions of Pulau Galau and Pemakai Menoa and proposal to legislate a Native Customary Rights (NCR) Ordinance.
According to a press release by the party on Friday, the workshop is meant to be a platform to garner feedback and exchange ideas for the sake of Dayakland.
Dr Charlie Dudang, a spokesman for the workshop, had said that the proposed workshop shall be held on Jan 7, 2017 from 8am to 5pm at MHotel here.
Thus the party provides full support for the workshop, especially suggestions raised by some of Dayak intellectuals and professional members, firstly to legislate an NCR land Ordinance; such as to reinstate Section 5(2)(f) of the Sarawak Land Code, which relates to Adat (Customary laws) and to ensure it will have the force of law on Pemakai Menoa (territorial domain) and Pulau Galau (communal forest).
Apart from that, the party also opined that a perimeter survey of native land is to be conducted by a private surveyor, instead of just Land and Survey Department.
“It is most important to find the means necessary to ensure that surveying of NCR land should be under Section 18 and not under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, and to empower Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak (Mais) to decide on native adat (customs) and related matters,” added the press release.
The notion of the workshop arises from the Apex Court decision to overturn lower courts’ decision in the Tuai Rumah Sandah versus State Government case on Dec 20 last year as the decision of the Federal Court panel of judges that the Pulau Galau and Pemakai Menoa (NCRs) do not have the force of law, has created grave concern among the Dayak community.
As Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem is willing to meet up with Dayak leaders, PBDSB opined that the Dayaks, regardless of their political affiliations, must put political egos aside to come under one roof or one voice as a single united platform to pass several resolutions to our leaders to propose a motion in the august House.
“PBDSB also supports the idea of Charlie extending an invitation to all Dayak YBs (elected representatives), political secretaries and even intellectuals from the opposition camps to be part of the team to work together as one dynamic team. It is PBDSB’s vision and hope that the talk between Dayak leaders and chief minister will be transparent and that representatives from the workshop will be invited to the discussion as well,” said the press release.
PBDSB’s vision and mission has always been to support any Dayak-related agenda, especially when it comes to the issues related to Dayak’s NCR land. It has been long overdue due to several Sarawak land code amendments made in the past, which still does not favour any Dayak when it comes to NCR.
The statement also said “We at PBDS hope that there shall be a way forward towards a resolution to finally settle the issue after this workshop and hope that all Dayaks shall break the silence and voice out a synergized solution which hopefully could provide an end solution to the deadlock over NCR land.
PBDSB hence is calling out all Dayaks to join this important workshop and anyone wishing to participate should contact Charlie at 013-8187582 to be part of this landmark event.