Enggah (seated sixth left) and other attendees show their disapproval for the implementation of MPKK in Sarawak.
MIRI: Some 70 ‘Ketua Masyarakat’ and ‘Ketua Kaum’ from Marudi constituency unanimously opposed the establishment of the federal government-proposed Village Community Management Council (MPKK) in Sarawak.
At a ‘Sesi Randau Bersama YB Datu Dr Penguang Manggil’ at a hotel here yesterday, they asserted that the current village security and development committee (JKKK) system still works well in managing longhouses and villages in Sarawak.
“Through this JKKK system we are effectively managed and monitored by our respective district offices,” Pemanca Enggah Muga, representing the other community leaders present at the event, told a press conference.
Enggah emphasised that the appointment of ‘Ketua Kaum’ (KK) goes through a democratic process and is monitored by the district office according to the standard operating procedure determined by the state government.
“The selected KK will be appointed as chairman of the JKKK of a longhouse or village automatically to ensure smooth management and avoid administrative conflicts. This proves that the appointment of the chairman of the JKKK is not a political appointment as claimed by some propaganda currently being spread,” he stressed.
On the contrary, Enggah said members of the MPKK are political appointees and nominated in their service centres as indicated by a Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader in a recent radio broadcast.
“Isn’t such political appointment contrary to the Pakatan Harapan manifesto and policy?”
In this regard, the MPKK will certainly cause the longhouse and village community to split, which could be disastrous to the unity and harmony among the villagers, he said.
“We see the implementation of MPKK as a violation of Sarawak’s rights (in the management of longhouses or villages). We also see this as a political tactic for ‘divide and rule’. Is this a form of colonisation in a new way?’
Also present at the event were Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, who is also Marudi assemblyman; Pemanca Jamel representing the Malay community in Marudi District; Pemanca for the Chinese community Wong Kiong Ching; Persatuan Tuai Tuai Rumah Beluru Marudi chairman Tuai Rumah Ngumbang Tia and other community leaders from Marudi and Beluru districts.