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Extracted from Malaysiakini
Cops
told to give reason for Iban’s arrest
Tony Thien
Feb 18,
Miri-based Borneo
Resources Institute
He was arrested on
Wednesday afternoon at the Bintulu express boat wharf as he was about to return
to his longhouse after buying provisions.
Malaysiakini learnt that the arrest followed
complaints by a plantation company Grand Perfect Sdn Bhd which the natives
claim is carrying out plantation-related activities on their native customary
rights (NCR) land in Sungai Segaman.
The company is also said
to be extracting timber allegedly on NCR land.
Brimas programme director
Raymond Abin said today that residents of Rumah Thomas and Rumah Endang have
made numerous complaints to the police but “so far nothing has been done to
protect their NCR land.” Abin said Jong’s wife and relatives who were informed
about the arrest immediately traveled to Bintulu to enquire the reason for the
arrest. Jong was in town to buy provisions for the family when the police
arrested him without any prior explanation, he added.
In
vain
Jong’s family members
have been trying in vain to meet him yesterday morning and in the afternoon but
were denied by the police.
“They were told that
investigation is ongoing so the police cannot grant any access to him,” Abin
said, adding that his relatives are worried about his personal health, safety
and situation while under custody in the police station.
Brimas has written to the
Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) for assistance to contact the
Bintulu police for the reason of the arrest.
“Brimas also wants Suhakam
to investigate the actions of the police in arresting Jong as well as the
problems concerning human rights violation of the longhouse community in the
area,” Abin said.
The Brimas programme
director asked the police “to immediately and unconditionally release Jong as
his arrest is seen as a purported act of intimidation by the authorities”.