Extracted from Malaysiakini

44 years later, Dayaks still feel marginalised

Tony Thien
Sep 17, 07 11:52am

Feelings of marginalisation and deprivation are prevalent among the Sarawak Dayak community despite the special rights and privileges enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution and the safeguards to protect native customary rights (NCR) land, said an opposition leader.

“After 44 years of independence where are we Dayaks in regard to the implementation of social and economic activities within the ambit of the special rights and privileges, including the safeguards to our NCR land?”

This was the question posed by Sarawak National Party (Snap) president Edwin Dundang Bugak when speaking at the party’s 16th triennial general assembly yesterday.

Dundang, who has been re-elected for a new three-year term, said Malaysia is a partnership consisting of many partners based on the social contract embodied in the Malaysian Constitution, Inter-Governmental Commission Report and other related documents.

The social contract was agreed and signed by all partners as a basis to form a new nation – Malaysia.

“We want every Malaysian to remember that Sarawak and Sabah agreed to sign (the Malaysia Agreement) only when (the country’s first prime minister) the late Tunku (Abdul Rahman) assured the inclusion of our special rights and privileges, including the protection of our NCR lands,” said Dundang.

He added that Snap wanted to re-affirm the pledge to uphold the Malaysian Constitution as the basis of the party’s struggle.

“Without this document there is no Malaysia,” he told some 100 delegates from 44 branches throughout Sarawak.

He said the terms and conditions, especially on the special rights and privileges of the Dayaks cannot be disputed.

Greatest concern

Dundang said for the Dayaks, the greatest concern about forming Malaysia then was the fear that they would lose their NCR lands.

“Now, despite the safeguards, most of the NCR lands are gone, not taken and sold by outsiders as we feared but by our own Sarawak people who abused their political power and positions,” he added.

The Snap chief said Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) always claims that there are about 1.5 million acres of NCR land in Sarawak.

“If the state government is sincere, transparent and has no hidden agenda, we call on them to show where these NCR lands are,” he added.

Dundang also spoke of the less equitable distribution of opportunities for the Dayaks in education, the economy and the civil service at both state and federal levels.

As for Snap, he told the delegates that they must continue with the struggle despite the poor performance of the party in the past elections.

Snap is facing an uncertain future as it is now appealing to the court against a Kuala Lumpur High Court’s ruling last year to uphold the Registrar of Societies’ (ROS) decision to de-register the party in November 2002.

The party’s struggle must continue irrespective of what happens after the legal process has been exhausted, said Dundang.

Welcomes Umno

Dundang later told reporters that Snap would welcome the entry of Umno into Sarawak if due respect and recognition is given to special rights and privileges, including protection for NCR lands.

Responding to a question, he said the party has not come to the stage to discuss whether to dissolve the party and have its members join Umno.

At the TGA, a former MP for Bintulu Ting Ling Kiew was elected the new deputy president, succeeding Justine Jinggut, who did not seek re-election.

Kebing Wan, a former political secretary to the chief minister, was elected senior vice president, succeeding former senator Michael Bong.

Edmund Stanley Jugol was re-elected as secretary-general while businesswoman Ibi Anak Uding was elected Wanita chief and Dayrell Walter Entrie was re-elected as Youth chief.