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Extracted from Malaysiakini
MP in the dark over Penan
sex abuse
Oct 9,
Baram member of parliament Jacob Dungau Sagan today expressed shock and surprise over the
allegations of sexual abuse of Penan women and girls by loggers in his
constituency in
"As MP of the
area, I have not been personally informed or received such cases/reports among
the Penan community leaders or by anybody," he said in a statement today.
"I am surprised and shocked to hear such allegations that have been made
in the dailies," he further said. He is also the deputy international
trade and industry minister.
However he added that a full investigation into the matter must be conducted if
the allegations were true.
"I am saddened by news alleging that some of the Penan girls have been
raped and abused, especially among young school girls," he said.
Sagan said that those that have been committed such
acts must be brought to justice.
"I do not want to see it and I am concerned of the welfare and
exploitation of our people by those irresponsible groups," he said.
A
temporary taskforce
He also said
that he was in favour with the proposal by the Women,
Family and Community Development Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen
to set up a temporary taskforce on the matter.
Sagan in
presently leading a Malaysian delegation to the Asean
Shippers' Council (FASC) annual general meeting in
In recent days the Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund
(BMF) made a startling claim that Penan women and
girls of Baram were being sexually abused by logging company workers.
BMF also claimed that students who accepted lifts on vehicles from the logging
companies were sexually abused as the drivers would stop at a logging camp
overnight.
Two of the logging companies in the area have denied any knowledge of the allegations.
Yesterday a group of 35 NGOs urged the government to immediately undertake a fact-finding mission at the settlements involved to ascertain the
realities of the issue from the alleged victims themselves.
