Parliamentarian N Gobalakrishnan, who is the adopted son of an Iban headman in Kapit in central Sarawak, is by virtue of Iban tradition a local, said a state PKR leader.

hindraf batu caves selayang court 281107 gobalakrishnan Gobalakrishnan, who is MP for Padang Serai in Kedah, was barred from entering Sarawak on Christmas eve by the immigration authorities at the Kuching International Airport.

He was to celebrate Christmas with his adoptive parents at their longhouse, about 500km from Kuching.

PKR Hulu Rajang division chief Frankie Manjah Bedindang, a former ‘wali kota’ or mayor of the Upper Rajang town of Kapit, told Malaysiakini that Gobalakrishnan went through the rituals, also called the miring ceremony, as part of the traditional Iban adoption process.

Gobalakrishnan was subsequently was given the name, Jugan Jugah, at the June 16 ceremony which was conducted in Tuai Rumah Jugah longhouse, Ulu Sut, witnessed by residents of the 30-door community.

Apparently, a number of names were proposed during the rituals and the final decision was made after the chicken pecked on a small container of rice written with the name Jugan, meaning bear.

According to Frankie, Gobalakrishnan was the first Indian to visit the longhouse and he was well-liked by the villagers there.

As an opposition politician, Gobalakrishnan has raised the issue of native customary rights (NCR) land on behalf of the affected native community.

Directive came from state government

Frankie said that despite Gobalakrishnan being an Indian, the locals took him as one of their own, which was the reason why the village chief decided to adopt him as his son.

The PKR parliamentarian had been to Sarawak numerous times but he was prevented from entering the state last Wednesday by state immigration officials believed to be on a directive from the State Secretary's Office.

sarawak diverse population percentage breakdown of race 160106 According to the state immigration, Gobalakrishnan had to apply for a permit to enter Sarawak under section 66(1) of the Immigration Act.

As a rule, Peninsular Malaysians need not apply for an entry permit so long as they carry their identity card or passport with them.

The opposition party claimed that the entry ban was politically motivated as the state government has become increasingly worried by the groundswell of support for PKR, especially in the rural areas.

However, Assistant State Minister Daud Abdul Rahman, a leader of Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's Parti Pesaka Bumipiutera (PBB) which forms the backbone of the state ruling coalition, has denied that BN was perturbed by the frequent visits of Peninsular-based opposition politicians.

He stressed that the refusal to allow the MP into Sarawak was an isolated incident and that the state government was not involved in the entry ban.

Big PKR gathering in Kuching next month

Frankie told Malaysiakini that the state government should have respected the Iban traditions and allow Gobalakrishnan to visit his adoptive parents as well as to carry out legitimate political activities.

“It is for the people to decide whether they want Pakatan Rakyat or BN at the end of the day,” he said.

Gobalakrishnan has vowed to go to court to challenge the entry ban.

sarawak state seat 2006 breakdown 011208 Meanwhile, state PKR leaders are busy preparing a huge dinner gathering early next month in Kuching for party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to brief supporters on the on-going electoral campaign ahead of the state election that must be called by 2011.

A PBB leader who spoke to Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity said that “many Sarawak Malays see Anwar as a leader trying to split the small Malay community here”.

PKR is aiming to capture at least 10 out of the 26 predominantly-Malay/Melanau seats in the 71-member Sarawak legislative assembly, and a sizeable number of Dayak seats as well as a few Chinese seats in the next state polls.

Meanwhile DAP, a partner in the opposition Pakatan coalition, plans to grab the rest of the predominantly-Chinese state seats, in addition to a few Dayak seats.

The two parties, together with a few others, hope that they would win enough seats to oust long-time state leader Abdul Taib.