The Penans displaced by the Murum dam project are seeking the help of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to press home their demand for at least half a million ringgit in compensation to each family from the state government.

The demand was made in a memorandum dated Sept 25 signed by Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Penan Peleiran-Murum (Pemupa) secretary Suie Bunyau.

“(We demand) at least RM500,000 compensation per household due to the submerging of our ritual land including agricultural land, temuda land, orchard and ‘pulau hutan’ (forest island by the dam),” read their 10-point open memorandum.

A Penans rights coalition handed over the memorandum to Suhakam headquarters, Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

In the memorandum to Sukaham, the Damn the Dams Action Group comprising of 60 NGOs, requested the commission to intervene in the compensation negotiations between the Penans and the Sarawak government.

The group’s spokesperson, Ng Yap Hwa, said Belaga state assemblyperson Liwan Lagang had organised three rounds of negotiations with Penans regarding the memorandum.

However, he feared that the negotiations were not conducted in good faith and that the Penans might be disadvantaged.

“…The Penans are being misled and manipulated to give up their demands and coerced into accepting a severely watered-down compensation package brokered by state government agents.”

“We urge Suhakam to intervene in the state-led negotiations as an observer without further delay,” Ng added.

NONE Suhakam commissioner Detta Samen, who received the memorandum, said that Suhakam will investigate the matter before making a decision.

Dissatisfied with the situation, the Penans have taken matters into their own hands when they set up a blockade this month, cut off the road to the Murum dam site.