Underground station Radio Free Sarawak DJ Peter John Jaban has hit out against the authorities over a “growing campaign of harassment” against his family in Kuching and their businesses, and is calling for an immediate halt to this.

“Attack me if you want, but leave my family alone!” said Jaban ( below, right ) in a statement today.

NONE Jaban, who on air is known as Papa Orang Utan and runs the pro-democracy radio station from his London base, said his family’s troubles began early in January, after his identity became widely known in Sarawak.

First, his family restaurant, which had occupied the premises for four years, had the tenancy suddenly terminated.

Their landlord, known to be a BN supporter, in January gave the restaurant a month’s notice to vacate the premises.

Jaban’s son later called him, saying the family was also given a "sudden notice" to evict the house they have been living in.

The landlord, one of Sarawak’s timber giants and closely linked with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, also cancelled their tenancy without giving any reason.

Expose provokes police search

Jaban said the situation worsened after the London Evening Standard ran a story revealing the people behind the radio station.

NONE Police have begun visiting his family members at their premises, asking about his whereabouts, he said.

His brother rang him on Wednesday, saying he received one such visit at his business premises. According to their manager, the police questioned the staff saying, “We are looking for him (Jaban).”

Jaban said the Kuching City Council was also putting pressure on his family business.

Three days ago, the council approached their business associate, warning that their licence to operate would be terminated if they continued to sub-let to Jaban’s family.

Jaban’s son was also “informally warned” yesterday by the council staff that their family’s name was now “blacklisted” and was advised to sell off their business operations or change all the names.

Undeterred by threats

Such actions, Jaban said, has severely impacted his family’s livelihood and left them feeling distressed and intimidated.

NONE This, he said, worried him more than the death threats he has received on his cellphone.

He feels he is facing the same situation as Ross Boyert ( left ), and sympathises with the former Taib employee.

However, the DJ remained defiant and vowed to carry on fighting for justice for Sarawak.

“No matter what they do I will continue my work. The more they do, the more I will say about them,” said Jaban.

“They can go for me, but whatever happens I will never stop barking. If you kill me I will stop, but the other blogs will continue.”

He admitted that he longed for the company of his family and friends and the weather in tropical Sarawak.

“I miss a lot of what I left back in Sarawak, but this is what I had to do,” he says.  

“Just leave my family out of it. They have nothing to do with ( Radio Free Sarawak ) and attacking them only proves everything I have been saying about what is wrong with Sarawak at the moment.”

Radio Free Sarawak is an independent station that started its daily broadcasts on Nov 16 last year.

It draws news from Sarawak Report and from local activists and communities defending land rights against abuses by Taib and his government.