A senior state Barisan Nasional (BN) leader has warned national opposition leaders against creating problems among the Dayaks in Sarawak.

Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president, was quoted in local newspapers today as referring to the visit of former deputy premier and Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Anwar Ibrahim next Monday.

He is scheduled to attend a longhouse gathering in Aping, Pantu, Sri Aman Division, which Jabu called "a longhouse picnic".

Several state Dayak opposition leaders including former Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak president Daniel Tajem, Sarawak National Party president Edwin Dundang and yet-to-be-registered Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) pro tem chairperson Nicholas Bawin are to attend.

Jabu further described the opposition politicians, including Anwar, as "political tourists" and added with sarcasm that Sarawak welcomes them because it wants to promote domestic tourism.

Organising committee chairperson Jacob Emang told malaysiakini today the tuai rumah (village chief) Christopher Ambu had given written consent for the gathering to be held in the longhouse.

Christopher is said to understand the nature of the gathering, contrary to what has been claimed by certain pro-government politicians.

The Aping area in Pantu has been at the centre of a struggle between residents in several Iban longhouses trying to keep plantation and logging companies from encroaching into their native customary rights (NCR) land.

Their action, although appreciated by many government supporters, has greatly embarrassed them as it is against the chief minister's concept of development which is to encourage NCR land to be developed as joint ventures with government agencies like the Land Custody and Development Authority.

This is done through subsidiary companies which form joint ventures with local and peninsula-based plantation companies.

BN leaders disturbed

Many longhouses have turned down such proposals and are developing their own mini estates on NCR land.

Residents from many longhouses have also turned to non-governmental organisations for help to highlight their problems.

The gathering with Anwar is to discuss several issues, especially attempts to take away their native customary rights, recognised by law, to the land that they and their forefathers have tilled.

A prospective BN candidate Snowdon Lawan, son of Iban businessman Donald Lawan, issued a statement condemning the opposition for needlessly raising expectations among the Dayaks while not being able to offer any practical alternative to the land issue.

"Do not play around with the livelihood and future of our rural people," said Snowdon who aspires to stand as a BN candidate in the Dayak-majority constituency Balai Ringin which includes Pantu longhouses.

He appealed to Christopher and his people not to allow the longhouse to be turned into "a hive of opposition activities".

Jabu was quoted in the Sarawak Tribune as asking the Ibans "to turn their back on Anwar".

Parti Rakyat Sarawak leader Dr James Masing said Anwar's presence would not be a threat to the BN, and that Dayak-majority seats would be safe seats in the upcoming state elections.

It is learnt that the surprising harsh comments by several state BN Dayak leaders could be an indication of their concern that a concerted opposition campaign is clearly underway in the Dayak countryside. They feel that issues like NCR land could erode support for the BN.

Tajem, who has been making regular visits in recent months in the company of MDC leaders, is likely to stand in Balai Ringin, which was carved partly out of the Bukit Begunan state constituency.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.