Five of the seven ketua kaum (village chiefs) from the Bidayuh community in the Bau-Lundu area sacked by the government for allegedly campaigning for the opposition in the March 8 general election are to come forward to deny allegations made against them.

The five will hold a press conference tomorrow in Kuching in the presence of state PKR legal officer See Chee How, who is also the party's Stampin division, to rebuff claims by the BN's Tasik Biru state assemblyperson Peter Nansian that they were 'gila-gila’, under-performing, old and not fit to serve any more for the sacking.

They will also produce the memos issued to them by the State Secretary's Office in mid July terminating their services as ketua kaum effective July 31.

State Secretary Wilson Baya Dandot was quoted in today's Borneo Post as saying he had no knowledge of the sacking of the seven ketua kaum mentioned in the Malaysiakini report on Tuesday.

“I've never heard about it,” he was quoted as saying, adding that “this is the first time I've heard about it.”

He said because he had no knowledge of the alleged sacking, he could not comment on the matter.

The BN state assemblyperson, who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party senior vice-president, was quoted earlier by the same newspaper as trying to give justification why the seven ketua kaum were sacked.

He said there were at least four reasons how ketua kaum could lose their jobs - non-performance, becoming obsolete, old age and gila gila.

One or two are gila gila

Nansian was also quoted by the Borneo Post as saying that “I do know one or two village chiefs who are 'gila gila' and like to oppose everything that is done by the government.”

He denied their services as ketua kaum for which they are paid a monthly allowance of RM300 were terminated for political reasons.

Malaysiakini were shown the warning letter issued by the Bau district officer a few days before polling on March 8 to the ketua kaum for allegedly campaigning for the opposition and against the candidate for the ruling party in the Mas Gading parliamentary constituency. The seat was won by Dr Tiki Lafe of SPDP.

The village chiefs were asked to cease campaigning for the opposition and in mid July the head of the human resources unit in the State Secretary's Office issued the notice of termination memo.

State Reform Party chief Dr Patau Rubis told Malaysiakini that he had advised some of the sacked ketua kaum to lodge police reports against the state assemblyperson and to consider legal action for belittling them in the eyes of the community.