Bersih argued that longhouse chiefs will free from coercion and held at ransom by the government which appoint them.
KUCHING (Jan 27): The Coalition for Fair and Clean Elections (Bersih) Sarawak is of the opinion that it is time to allow longhouse residents to once again to elect their own tuai rumah.
Bersih argued that longhouse chiefs will free from coercion and held at ransom by the government which appoint them.
“The appointment of headmen (tuai rumah) and community chiefs in Sarawak is under the Community Chiefs and Headmen Ordinance 2004.
“There is nothing democratic about this manner of appointing community chiefs who are supposed to serve their respective community first and foremost, and in the old days chosen by the people whom he/she serves, and by which he/she assumes and has the legal and moral authority to settle disputes and manage the affairs of his/her people in general and is responsible for their welfare.
“By this Ordinance, they become mere public servants, receiving allowances from the government to serve the government of the day,” the Bersih Secretariat said in a statement yesterday.
Bersih was responding to news reports of the Education, Innovation and Talent Development Assistant Minister II Datuk Francis Harden’s recent remark that it was awkward and absurd for longhouse chiefs who oppose the government to receive allowances or salaries from the government.
“His views as expressed in such ‘lectures’ to the tuai rumah are not new. It is the perpetuation of politics of patronage and the ‘Don’t bite the hands that feed you’ or ‘anang lawan perintah’ mentality or narrative.
“It is appalling that this latest reminder is issued by a six-term term assemblyman (ADUN) that speaks volumes of how entrenched this culture or mindset is.
“It is also well known that such appointments will not be a reality unless it is with the blessing of the MP or ADUN of the constituency. There have been past reports of ADUNs asking village development and security committee (JKKK) and their secretaries to quit if they do not support the government of the day,” it said.
Bersih Sarawak noted that during election time, the tuai rumahs would be expected to carry out instructions of the ruling coalition or its candidate.
It said as the tuai rumahs are in charge at village level, they can wield great power and influence and have been known to stop any campaigners of other non-government parties or candidates from entering their longhouses.
“This is unacceptable given the fact they are prohibited to hold political party positions as stated under Section 8 of the Ordinance.
“During the recently concluded state election, one of the federal ministers, after the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) was dissolved, announced when visiting Sarawak that secretaries of JKKK and their committee members would be given meeting allowances; this is certainly a breach of the caretaker convention as well as enticement or vote-buying except that it was not yet campaign period,” it said.
Bersih Sarawak reminded Harden that the state and country still practise democracy and the longhouse or community chiefs and their ‘anembiaks’ (charges) should be free to their own leaders.
“Just like civil servants who are free to vote for whoever they desire to be their representative despite receiving salaries from the government, so too these chiefs. So too these village chiefs, they should be receiving their allowances as long as they serve their community or charges.
“These chiefs should not be subjected to condescension or worse, threats of stripping them of posts or some other reprisals,” it said.