Penan's Deception Plan to Get Their Memorandum Reaching Taib and Jabu

31th Oct 2009

KUCHING – The Penans have learnt from the mistakes of the past and are taking the hackers’ approach.

With a little social engineering, they outwitted the security guards and officials at Wisma Bapa Malaysia to achieve what they came for – hand over a memorandum protesting against the building of dams in the Sarawak interior.

“We tricked the security guards and officials by telling them we had a letter for the chief minister and his deputy,” said Penan representative Philip Jau on Friday.

Stealth in small group

“There were four of us only instead of a large group, and we managed to deliver the memorandum to the officials, although Taib (CM Abdul Taib Mahmud) and Jabu (DCM Alfred Jabu) were not in.”

Jau was accompanied by three Penan leaders.

“We have learnt a lesson from our last attempt to hand over the memorandum,” he said, adding that 10 others were waiting away from Wisma Bapa Malaysia. On Sept 16, the same group of 14 Penans wanted to send the same memorandum to Taib and Jabu but they refused to see them. The 14 were instead arrested by the police on grounds of illegal assembly in front of Wisma Bapa Malaysia.

600 voices of dissent

Tua Kampung Madai Saluk of Long Luar, Belaga, told reporters on Friday that the 62-page memorandum contained about 600 signatures from 18 longhouses expressing opposition to the construction of dams in Baram and Murum in Belaga.

“You (the state) drown our land, our properties and longhouses and want us to move out, but to where? This is really disempowering us,” he said.

He cited the Batang Ai and Asap examples as mass relocations gone wrong.

“We have seen how the people especially in Asap suffer. Many of them have returned to their original longhouses as they can no longer bear the miseries and hardships in the new settlements.”

“We do not want to suffer like them.”

More to lose than gain

In the memorandum to the chief minister, the Penans expressed concern that the Murum dam would create social unrest and threaten their way of life apart from destroying whatever they hold dear in the land of their birth.

“For us along Sungai Peleiran-Murum, we will not be spared the impact of the dam if the government proceeds with its construction. Because of its damaging impact, we the Penans from these areas in one voice urge the government to cease immediately the construction of the Murum dam.

“We also appeal to the government not to force us to move out from our land and settle in areas far from our ancestral land,” the Penans added - Malaysianmirror, Joseph Tawie

The Best Way For Daniel and Marina to get their Bumiputera status is to Convert to Islam

Saturday, 31 October 2009 04:16

Sorry Daniel...Semi-native is not bumiputera!

KUCHING – Another family in the same boat as Marina Undau has spoken up about the plight of mixed parentage students.
Ding Juh said his son - Daniel Ibau - was a Science stream student and had scored 10As and 1B in the SPM examination last year. But he failed to get into the Labuan Matriculation College despite being “one of the top students of SMK Wira Penrissen in Kota Samarahan.”


“Out of nine applications from the school, only my son’s was rejected,” said Ding Juh.
Ding Juh said he had appealed to the Education Ministry in the hope it would reconsider its decision.

Plea for all in same boat

The father of three said he was worried for the future of his offspring who are facing big hurdles in gaining access to higher education as a result of being “locked out” of bumiputra membership.
“We are not rich and can’t afford to send our children to private colleges.
“My plea is not just for my son, but also for the others who are in the same situation as he is. We are Malaysians. How can the government talk about achieving unity when we have to go through obstacles to provide education for our kids?
Ding Juh and his son spoke to Malaysian Mirror on Friday after Marina’s case was highlighted in the news portal. The story originally appeared in Borneo Post.


Point of reference

Earlier this week, schoolgirl Marina Undau who has an Iban father and a Chinese mother was informed by the education department that she could not be admitted to a matriculation course because she was not a bumiputra.
Both Marina and Daniel are struggling against the full weight of the Federal Constitution, which spells out the state of affairs for Sarawakians: “If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.”

In other words, both parents must be natives to qualify.

Daniel understands the Constitution’s viewpoint.
But he wonders why he could still continue to buy the Amanah Saham Bumiputra if he was not a bumiputra.
Could it be that a Kayan is a bumiputra in one set of circumstances but a non-bumiputra in another? Mr Spock of Star Trek fame would see this as “illogical.”
Such hazy interpretation and execution of the laws has naturally led to a section of the citizenry feeling shortchanged and a gnawing sense that the authorities are toying with their future.

Sorry, no go

Daniel’s application to UiTM to pursue a civil engineering diploma course is still up in the air as the institution has yet to reply.

Like Marina, Daniel sees his only recourse now to minimise costs is to proceed with Form Six and eventually hit the university trail two years later.
“As the eldest, I feel it is my responsibility to pave the way and set a good example for my siblings,” said the SMK Tapang Sixth-Former.
“I will do my best in any way I can and wherever I might get the chance to pursue my studies in the near future.”
Daniel said it had been an ordeal for his family in trying to get him recognised as a bumiputra so that he could reap the benefits from it.

The effort has so far been in vain.

“We have tried everything from lengthy e-mails, facsimiles and calling the ministry repeatedly but to no avail. After a month, the only answer we got was ‘Sorry, your application is not approved.’”

Bukittunggal

In order to get the bumiputera status, both of the pupils must convert to Islam. This is the reality of Najib's 1Malaysia Slogan!
Therefore Sarawakian...throw your Vote to BN/Najib and I am not surprised that Native will not be considered as bumiputera unless you are muslim....1MALAYSIA

Mupok aku

"Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban"