Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian has unveiled what he terms as evidence of the state government’s violation of native customary rights (NCR) land as part of his pursuit to debate Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The “evidence” was in form of court documents at the Kuching Old Court House carried by Baru yesterday accompanied by a small group of supporters (photo, below) under the eyes of about 200 police personnel both in plainclothes and uniform.

NONE The documents are High Court judgments which favoured three villagers who were claiming customary rights to land in Selezu, Setulai and Sepadok in the Sebauh district, Bintulu.

The NCR lands which they claim are within the parcel of land of two provisional leases issued by the Bintulu Lands and Surveys and the State Government to Ladang Sawit Bintulu Sdn Bhd, Lembaga Tabung Haji and Semai Mekar Sdn Bhd.

High Court Judge Justice Wong Dak Wah in his judgment on Jan 21, 2010 said the plaintiffs, Agi Bungkong, Beluka Agi and Charlie Agan, had legitimate native customary rights over the land.

The court had also stated that the two provisional leases were subjected to native customary rights land, and he, therefore, ordered that the the two companies out of the lands for the plaintiffs to take over.

More to be unveiled

Baru said he was drawing attention to the trio’s case, as a start, because Taib and initially offered to accept his debate dare on condition that he brings forth evidence to support the debate topic - whether the state government had “snatched” NCR land.

During the BN convention in Kuching last week, Taib said that he was now fielding his advisor Adenan Satim to handle public debates. But Adenan too is using the same stipulation, that Baru must adduce evidence.

NONE “I will release more evidences of the NCR land grab until the state elections,” Baru told about 30 pressmen, “either day by day or week by week.”

Baru said when he issued the statement to Taib, the topics would be based on the public declaration by Taib that the state government did not grab the NCR land and secondly, the NCR land issue was an old issue.

“This was not the first time that those statements came out from his mouth or the mouths of his ministers, particularly Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Land Development Minister James Masing,” Baru said.

“I got fed-up of hearing them and that was why I challenged Taib for a debate... We want the public to find out who are telling the truths and who are telling lies.

“But then he changed his mind after his friends were unsupportive, saying that it was uncalled for of me to challenge Taib and that I was not of equal stature with the chief minister,” he said.

New deadline

Baru said he gave 14 days, yesterday being the last day, for Taib to accept the debate.

Now that the deadline had expired, Baru has set a new deadline - until the state elections, which has to be called by July.

“In the meantime, I will produce evidence after evidence so to compel him to agree to the debate,” added the lawyer who has fought and won numerous NCR land violation cases.

NONE Baru said he is using the Old Court House because it was where the Second Rajah, Charles Brooke, gave a warning to the natives of strangers wishing to take away their land.

“I am using this Old Court House as it is very significant to the warning by the Second Rajah,” he said.

The Rajah gave the warning at a dinner at the Old Court House in conjunction with the sitting of the Council Negeri (State Legislative Assembly) on Aug 12, 1915.

White Rajah’s warning

In the warning, Baru said the Rajah drew the attention of the natives to others that might appear after his time with soft and smiling countenances to deprive them (natives) of what solemnly and truly he considered to be their right, and that is the land.

“It is their inheritance on which their ‘ darah daging ’ (flesh and blood) exists, the source of their self existence, their harta pesaka which if once lost, no amount of money could ever recover,” Baru said of the Rajah’s speech.

“Unless this advice is followed, the inhabitants will lose their birth right which will be taken from them by strangers and speculators who will become masters and owners while they (natives) themselves, the people of the soil, will be thrown aside and become coolies and outcasts,” Baru quoted the Rajah as saying.

Baru said the prophecies by the Rajah were found to be true today as the state government, under Taib, grabbed the NCR lands and leased them to companies.

“Today, those words of the Rajah have been unfulfilled as a lot of people from outside Sarawak have been given the NCR lands, and the sad thing is that the government of the day and leaders of Sarawak, were in cahoots with the outsiders,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.

Baru said he could not believe that the present leaders continued to lie to the people again and again.

On the presence of a large number of police personnel, including the riot unit, Baru brushed it off as a safety precaution.

“I appreciate their presence, and I thank them for that,” he added.