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MIRI: The Sessions Court here yesterday began the
hearing of a civil suit filed by a 45-year-old housewife against the police and
the Malaysian government on the death of her husband in December 1997.
Ndukmit Egot, from Rumah Sidu, an Iban longhouse in
Baram, alleged in her Statement of claim that on Dec 19, 1997, she and
46-year-old husband Enyang Gendang went to Rumah Bangga to attend a meeting.
Some residents from their own longhouse and other
surrounding longhouses were also at the meeting to discuss their claims for
compensation from an oil palm plantation company which they claimed had damaged
their native customary land (NCR) and crops situated at Sungai Lutong and Sungai
Babai.
Ndukmit claimed that they had lodged reports with the
relevant authorities including on alleged damages done by the company but there
was no investigation done or action taken on their complaints.
As the company also did not stop its activities, the affected
longhouse residents were forced to stop their activities by detaining three of
its bulldozers that the residents brought and kept in front of Rumah Bangga on
Dec 16, 1997.
Around 1.30 pm just after their meeting ended, policemen
together with police field force (GOF) armed with M16 rifles, pistols, baton
and handcuffs (GOF) arrived at Rumah Bangga.
The residents and Tuai Rumah Bangga went down to meet
and also to hold a "miring ceremony" to welcome them to the longhouse
in accordance with Iban custom.
It was alleged that the police immediately asked for
the longhouse chief, Tuai Rumah Bangga who was placed under arrest after he
introduced himself.
Ndukmit also claimed that other policemen and GOF
present also attempted to arrest longhouse residents at the scene.
In a scuffle, following the attempt to arrest Tuai
Rumah Bangga, a number of shots were believed fired by one of the GOF personnel
from his M16 riffle.
Ndukmit further alleged in her statement of claim
that first defendant, Corporal Hussaini Sulong, one of GOF personnel, had wrongfully
or negligently fired a shot with his pistol at her husband who was hit on his
forehead.
As a result, her husband collapsed and was in a coma
until he died in intensive care unit at the Miri General Hospital on Dec 24.
When giving evidence through an Iban court
interpreter yesterday, Ndukmit said she filed the suit because as a result of
her husband's death, she and her two children had been deprived of his support
and they had also incurred substantial expenses during his funeral.
Ndukmit will continue with her evidence in court
today at 10 am.
She is represented by Mekanda Singh Sandhu who is
assisted by Harrison Ngau Laing while Amir Hamzah Othman represented first
defendant Corp Hussaini, second defendant Chief Inspector Chan Kuang Yu, third
defendant DSP Earnest Sadan and the government of Malaysia.