Society to host awareness coffee talks across the state
MIRI: Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (Scrips) is conducting a state-wide Sarawak Land Code amendment awareness ‘coffee talks’ here since March 23.
Scrips said every indigenous person in Sarawak must understand the full meaning of Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, particularly the implications of perimeter surveys undertaken by the Land and Survey Department.
In a coffee talk held at an F& B outlet here, Scrips secretary general Michael Jok said this was one of the efforts to raise awareness about Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code and the effect it could have on ownership of Native Customary Right ( NCR) land.
The main speaker, Henry Joseph Usau, who is Scrips’ legal advisor, said the natives have the right to know changes to the definition of Pemakai Menoa ( Territorial Domain) and Pulau
Yes, putting it coarsely, it is tantamount to you losing your right to your wife who subsequently, as a result of an amendment in law, becomes common shared entity.
Galau ( Communal Reserve) – terms used to determine what constitutes NCR land.
Henry said all native communities in Sarawak must realise how critical their situation is at the moment, alleging that they might no longer own their traditional land, passed to them by their forefathers.
When asked during Q and A session, by a participant if the perimeter survey conducted would eventually convert NCR land into state land, he replied: “Yes, putting it coarsely, it is tantamount to you losing your right to your wife who subsequently, as a result of an amendment in law, becomes common shared entity.”
One of the participants said their rights should not be further eroded by refined legislative changes without the full knowledge and understanding of the native people, alluding to the amendment to the Land Code was approved by the State Legislative Assembly of Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Micheal Jok said similar coffee talks on NCR land would also be held in Sibu, Kuching and other towns in Sarawak at a latter date.
“This is an effort by Henry J Usau another speaker, to raise greater awareness of native rights to their communal land called Pemakai Menoa and Pulau Galau,” he said.
The event in Miri was attended by participants from as far as upper Baram and also members of the Miri legal fraternity.
Several NGO groups such as Scrips, Baram People Action Committee (BPAC), Save Sarawak Rivers, and Tanah Hak Bangsa Sarawak had protested against the recent amendment to the Sarawak Land Code, accusing the government of eroding instead of enhancing native customary land rights. The Sarawak government dismissed such allegations.
Deputy Speaker Dato Gerawat Gala in September last year said the intent and effect of the amendment on the Sarawak Land Code as explained by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas was to give legal recognition to Pemakai Menoa and Pulau Galau as terms in the amendment.
Prior to the amendment, the Federal Court ruled that PMPG had no legal force and that the use and occupation of PMPG land under Iban custom did not give the claimants any right to the land.
Gerawat,who is a lawyer andMulu assemblyman, said the amendment was in response to the Federal Court ruling that PMPG was not NCR land, and even the usufructuary right to use the land was not recognised by the court as it has no force of law.
Henry Joseph Usau, Scrips’ legal advisor