Village head details ‘beating’ on Radio Free S’wak
He claims that the police and the authorities concerned are ignoring incidents of plantation companies taking the law into their own hands and beating up villagers over land issues.
KUCHING: Tuai Rumah (Village Head) Jambai appeared over Radio Free Sarawak on Wednesday to complain about being beaten up by thugs employed by a plantation company near his village. Jambai, from Bekelit in Bekeneu, related that the thugs ran him off the road in the latest incident and then attacked him with a samurai sword, landing him in hospital, said Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) in a release on the “red hot” interview with the village head.
“The Tuai Rumah reserves most of his disappointment for the police,” said RFS. “This is the latest in a string of incidents all ignored by the police and the authorities concerned.”
Jambai told RFS that his car was also burnt last year and someone threw a molotov cocktail at his house. “If the plantation company makes a report, the response from the police and the authorities concerned couldn’t be faster,” said RFS. “Jambai has made a report about the latest incident involving him but he doesn’t hold much hope of action being taken against the culprits he has identified.”
Jambai warned the police and the authorities concerned to act against the plantation company concerned. “Don’t force the people to take matters into their own hands,” he said on RFS.
Th people of Sarawak are incensed by the story of Tuai Rumah Jambai, said RFS. “Our hotline has been flooded with calls.”
The interview with Jambai also featured Baba Emperan and Menang, both from Bintulu, who lodged police reports on Tuah Rumah Jambai being beaten up by thugs. “Baba felt that it was his civic duty to support a fellow Orang Asal in trouble and to get justice for the injured Tuai Rumah.”
“Menang warned that sentiment against the Sarawak Government on the land issue was running high among the Orang Asal.”
If the authorities concerned do not act soon, Menang fears the situation would “boil over”, added RFS.
Sarawak Opposition Chief Baru Bian described the attack on Jambai as the “act of greedy and heartless persons with no regard for the rights of the people nor the laws of the country. Tuai Rumah Jambai’s woes began in 2008 and he has been defending his lands ever since then.”
“This criminal act”, he added, was reminiscent of the attack on Tuai Rumah Surik Muntai in Melikin two years ago. “The attackers in Jambai’s case are alleged to be gangsters working for an oil palm company and one of the vehicles they used belonged to it,” said Baru who is also Ba’Kelalan assemblyman and a senior lawyer in private practice. “The companies and big bosses involved in such attacks must not be allowed to get away with their inhumane and cruel treatment of the people whose lands they are trying to steal.”
Baru charged that the chairman of the plantation company allegedly behind the attack on Tuai Rumah Jambai is a Temenggong. “I would urge the Sarawak Government to investigate this.”
Under Section 8 of the Community Chiefs and Headman Ordinance 2004, said Baru, no person appointed Chief (the definition including Temenggong) or Headman was allowed to engage in any trade, business, activity or undertaking which may place him in a position of conflict with his position as Chief or Headman.
If true, said Baru, the Temenggong’s position must be revoked under the law.
What does the Sarawak CM has to say about this?
If he keeps silent then he is in cahoots with the plantation owners
All his talk about a better Sarawak is meaningless and hypocritical
He is just a land grabber
supporter/protector not a CM of Sarawak.
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