Never despair, proceed with our cause — Baru
KUCHING: The recent failure of a landmark case at the Federal Court that is of great relevance to the natives of Sarawak will not dampen the spirit of state PKR to pursue truth and justice.
State PKR chairman Baru Bian said all the victories his counterparts had won on native customary rights appeared to have been obliterated by this one decision.
“However, I do not see it as an end to our struggle. There is still an avenue for us and we must do what needs to be done, fully believing that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
“This newest challenge serves as a powerful reminder that the issues we face daily are but temporal matters. In this imperfect world, we cannot expect perfect results every time. The more significant issue is the Christmas message of love, that God loves us so much that He sent His only son so that we may have eternal life.
“With this in mind, we must never despair, but proceed with our cause, knowing and trusting that truth and justice will prevail eventually,” he said in his Christmas greetings to Sarawakians.
On Tuesday, the Federal Court ruled that both ‘pemakai menoa’ and ‘pulau galau’ had no force of law in Sarawak. In a three-to-one decision, the apex court allowed the appeal by the state government and set aside the orders of the Court of Appeal and High Court that recognised native customary right (NCR) over ‘pemakai menoa’ and ‘pulau galau’.
Baru, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman, asserted that the love of God inspired in people a belief that there was reason to celebrate even if at times people did not understand why they were put through trials and tribulations.
He believed the message of Christmas ‘is still relevant today, perhaps even more so’.
“It encourages us to emulate God’s love, to live in love daily, to give to others who are in need and less fortunate than us. This Christian teaching is centred on the word ‘love’.
“I recall the passage in the Bible where a lawyer one day asked Jesus ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbour as yourself’.
“The lawyer who wanted to justify himself asked back ‘And who is my neighbour?’ This prompted Jesus to tell the people about the parable of the good Samaritan where a Levite and a priest walked past an injured man believed to be a Jew, but a Samaritan stopped to help him, even though Jews and Samaritans were known to despise each other.”
Baru said people ought to be taught to be concerned about others and to love them even if they were different.
Like the Samaritan, he said people were called to love those who were in need as they were their neighbours.
“For Christians, love does not distinguish by race or religion; indeed, it is a concept without boundaries. At this time when many are called to be concerned with only their own kind, be it in reference to religion, race or community, the Christmas story is relevant and timely.
“When we are told to keep out of others’ affairs, as they purportedly do not concern us, Christian love and duty behove us to speak for those who are unable to speak for themselves. Silence is not an option.
“Each year around Christmas time, I am reminded of God’s love and His giving to us in this love. Love is the very essence and bedrock of our Christian faith. I wish all Christians a blessed Christmas and to all, a Happy New Year.”
However, I do not see it as an end to our struggle. There is still an avenue for us and we must do what needs to be done, fully believing that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. — Baru Bian, State PKR chairman