Seminar passes eleven resolutions to Abg Johari
BINTULU: Eleven resolutions from four working papers were highlighted at the end of the one-day seminar on ‘Hak Adat Bumiputera Masyarakat Vaie’ (Vaie Community Native Customary Rights) on Saturday before Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The seminar was jointly organised by Anaq Vaie Bintulu Association and Amanah Khairat Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak in collaboration with Bintulu Resident’s Office.
Anaq Vaie Bintulu Association president Pandi Suhaili who presented the resolutions believed that the chief minister would be able to find the best ways to solve the problems and issues faced by the local Vaie community amicably.
“The local Vaie are still puzzled, left behind due to the greed of developers and contractors who took over our heritage land without mercy, starting from Tubau, Labang, Sebauh, Ulu Segan up to Kidurong and Samalaju.
“It is time for us to work together to fight for our rights for our future survival,” said Pandi, who believed in the wisdom of Abang Johari to solve the issues without having to go through legal process.
The four working papers presented were on the history of Sarawak, the history of Bintulu, the State Land Code amendment and Permodalan Satok Berhad.
The first resolution is to urge the state government to replace the lands of Sarawak Bumiputera and Vaie community who have been staying in those places for generations since the Brunei Sultanate which now become Bintulu town, and which have been handed over to the private sector.
Pandi said the second resolution passed during the seminar is demanding the state government, governmentlinked companies (GLCs) and the private sector to return or replace the NCR land of Vaie and Malays within native territorial domains covering secondary forest, river tributaries, hills and mountains, beach, foreshore and seabed.
Another resolution urged the federal government through Petronas to give oil and gas royalty to the Vaie and Sarawak Malay community.
The fourth resolution is to urge the state government, Petronas, Bintulu Port, MLNG, ABF and the private sector to make it a policy to prioritise the local Vaie community in giving contracts and jobs.
The resolution also demanded the state government, GLCs and the private sector to recognise and return their heritage which existed since the Malay Brunei Sultanate.
Pandi also said the seminar participants agreed to urge Bintulu Development Authority to allocate business premises and to involve the local Vaie community in the setting up of a museum.
In addition, the seminar also wanted the natural rights of the Malay, Melanau, Vaie and Kedayan communities which had been taken over by other races to be returned, for example in Kidurong, Sg Plan, Setipuk, Selezen, Sg Seruai, Samalaju and other areas.
The participants of the seminar, he added, also agreed to set up Perbadanan Vaie Berhad under Yayasan Hartanah Bumiputera Sarawak which will be responsible to develop the Bumiputera Vaie lands into a commercial hub.
The ninth resolution is to form Lembaga Amanah Kebajikan Anaq Vaie Sarawak to safeguard the welfare, education and economy of Vaie community.
The second last resolution passed is to make Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak campus (UPMKB) the leading body in protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of the Vaie community.
“The last resolution is to ensure all Vaie children who are studying in UPMKB to be given full scholarship by the state government,” said Pandi, who hoped the state government would give due consideration to the eleven resolutions.
Also present were Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Bintulu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggi, Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat and seminar advisor Dato Pengiran Daud Awang Putera.