Sarawak PKR today demanded that not only Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s cousins should apologise for their demeaning and insulting remarks against the Dayak community, but also the state government for its cruel and mindless acts against the community.

Norlia and Fatimah, the daughters of former chief minister Abdul Rahman Yakub had insulted the Dayak community with their derogatory descriptions in a covertly recorded video by London-based Global Witness.

The two sisters were alleged to have uttered that the Dayaks are “squatters” living on state land and that they have “low intelligence” which allow them to be easily exploited by businessmen.

Their remarks and those of two lawyers were video-taped by Global Witness and released over the social media.

In the video clip, they claimed that they (Norlia and Fatimah) had thousands of NCR land leased to them by the state government headed by Taib and they were prepared to sell them at a right price.

The contents of the video clip have now been translated into Iban, and thousands of copies of the video clip have now been distributed to the rural areas.

NONE Commenting on a protest by 300 Dayak landowners yesterday, state PKR vice-chairperson See Chee How ( left ) said, “Norlia and Fatimah should not be the only ones who should apologise to the Dayak community for their derogatory remarks, but also the government as a whole for grabbing their native customary rights (NCR) land.

“The state government’s acts are very cruel and mindless towards the NCR landowners,” said See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyperson, citing more than 200 NCR land cases now pending hearing in the High Court as examples.

See, who is one of the lawyers defending the NCR landowners, agreed that the two sisters should be investigated under the Sedition Act for such insulting remarks against the Dayak community.

‘Police reports to be lodged’

Police reports towards that end would be lodged, he said.

“The matter is taken seriously because Norlia and Fatimah Abdul Rahman are the first cousins of the Sarawak chief minister and they are also the sisters of Norah Abdul Rahman, who until the dissolution of Parliament was the MP for Tanjong Manis.

“With the expose, which included the concerned persons’ admission of the ease in obtaining land for plantation and logging, the disrespect of the indigenous people’s rights to their native customary rights land is evinced and implicates the BN government’s administration.

“It is learnt that members of  the Dayak community will be holding a series of demonstrations and protests throughout the state to show the discontent and the anger of the indigenous communities towards the cruel and mindless statements that were uttered by the so-called ‘people of substance’ in the Global Witness video clip.

“If by then, they fail to apologise, then the communities should bring them to court or vote the BN out of government. I believe voting them out in the coming election is the only way."

Yesterday, some 300 Dayak landowners had carried banners and placards in a peaceful protest near Kuching Sentral, demanding that action be taken against the characters in the video clip.

Since the release of the video clip to the social media, hundreds of Dayaks have reacted angrily to the derogatory remarks.

The writer, who uses a pseudonym, is based in Sarawak.