Duo to be blamed for SADIA's predicament

16 October 2011

According to the Borneo Post dated 16 Oct 2011, Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) president Sidi Munan and secretary general Nicholas Mujah should be held responsible if the association is deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

SADIA Bintulu branch secretary Thomas Nyaring said the delegates who attended the triennial general meeting on October 1 were not even told of the ROS show cause letter by either Sidi or Mujah.

“Sidi and Mujah should have called for an emergency meeting to explain to all the SADIA branches in Sarawak of the show cause letter they have received from ROS as most SADIA branches in Sarawak were not aware of their failure in carrying out their duties as president and secretary general.

“They even failed to produce written secretary’s report and statement of account during the last TGA on October 1,” he complained in a statement.

He said the duo should have resigned from SADIA if they were not able to handle the association’s affairs.

“They are only trying to get cheap publicity by holding the posts as president and secretary general of SADIA hindering some government programmes using SADIA as their base.

“I advise Sidi and Mujah to join one of the political parties if they want to be active in political activities and leave SADIA as to someone else so that Iban community can still rely on SADIA as their body to look after their cultural heritage and welfare,” he said.

SADIA to be deregistered?

KUCHING: The 28-year old Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), one of the most effective non-governmental organisations, is facing deregistration following complaints by the Registrar of Societies for contravening the provisions of the Societies Act 1966.

In his show caused letter dated 23 August 2011, the registrar alleged SADIA of being involved in the Batang Ai by-election in 2008.

He also alleged that SADIA has contravened the Article VI clause 1 of the Societies Act and Regulations for not holding its triennial delegates conference. Its last meeting was held in 2006.

It has also failed to elect new office-bearers which should be held in 2009 as well as failing to submit its annual returns for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

SADIA has been given until September 23 to reply to the show-caused letter.

SADIA President Sidi Munan told SADIA members that he had replied to the show-caused letter, and the association is still awaiting the outcome of the ROS’ decision.

Judging by the tone of the show-caused letter which was signed by Deputy Registrar of Societies Malaysia, Haji Fison bin Haji Yahaya, there is the likelihood that SADIA is in real danger of being deregistered.

ROS Kuching Ken Leben was not available for comment.

The authorities have been targeting the association for the past five years after it was actively involved in defending the rights of natives and the indigenous people especially when the native customary rights (NCR) lands were encroached upon by oil palm plantation and timber companies.

Almost all of these companies have connections one way or another with the powers that be in the state.

The authorities are also fearful of SADIA as it is an accredited member of Economic and Social Council of United Nations (ECOSOC), and a member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Network of Malaysia or Jaringan Orang Asal Se-Malaysia (JAOS), an umbrella of 21 community-based non-governmental organisations that have the indigenous peoples’ issues as the focus.

It is also a member of Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP), an organisation of indigenous peoples’ movement in Asia.

SADIA Secretary General Nicholas Mujah said that SADIA headquarters has been raided twice in the past two years, the latest was in June this year by officials from the Home Affairs Ministry, who have taken substantial amount of documents including court exhibits and affidavits.

Until now, SADIA staff members including Mujah have not been charged in court.

SADIA was registered in 1984 with the aim to promote the usage and the advancement of Iban Language, and its efforts which were supported by Iban officers in the Education Department resulted in Iban language being studied in Primary and secondary schools. Moves to study Iban in tertiary education are underway.

Its other objectives are to protect the Iban Adat, traditions and customs.

Lately it has been in the forefront in the protection of the native customary rights (NCR) land resulting in a number of its members being jailed for defending the NCR land.

And because of evidence given by SADIA officials, the majority of NCR land cases have been ruled in favour of the natives.

Ibans, Bidayuhs, Orang Ulu and even Malays have sought the advice and assistance from SADIA, which acts as their paralegal before the filing of any NCR claims against the government.

“I believe that SADIA’s involvement in defending the rights of the natives as far as NCR land is concerned is one of the real reasons why ROS is asked to cancel its registration.

“I believe that complaints come from some of the Iban leaders who are pro-BN,” said a senior member of SADIA who requested anonymity.

Dayaks support DAP’s Dayak Brain Trust

KUCHING: The Sarawak DAP’s proposal to set up ‘Dayak Brain Trust’ (DBT) has received strong support from the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), a very powerful and influential Iban organisation that has members throughout the state.

SADIA president Sidi Munan said that the set up of DBT is a “good idea”.

“Why not, if it acts as a think tank for the party which wishes to learn more about Dayaks’ cultural, social, economic and political needs.

“At least there is an organisation which makes an attempt to learn more about Dayaks’ problems and needs and is willing to help the community.

“There is nothing wrong in supporting such an idea,” Munan said.

Commenting on the same issue, the chairman of Sarawak Dayak Graduate Association (SDGA) Dr. Dusit Jaul agreed with Lim that “the whole idea is to create economic, social, cultural and political awakening”.

“In the context of national politics, DAP has every right to initiate this move, and whether it is going to have any impact only time will tell,” Dusit said.

The proposal to set up DBT was announced by the DAP national leader Lim Kit Siang who said that the “Dayak Brain Trust” which acts as an advisory body will recruit 10 Dayak professionals to advise them on serving the rural community.

Lim said: “We are already sourcing for the 10 outstanding personalities to set up the Dayak Brain Trust.

“They would be professionals to advise the opposition including giving their views on ways to lead the folks towards economic, social, cultural and political awakening,” he said, adding that the party had approached a lawyer, a doctor, a businessman and those from specialised fields.

Should Dayak Ibans continue to build longhouses?

Sidi Munan, President of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), in his weekly column, UNCLE DI, in the Sunday Borneo Post, posed this question.

“If we are really concerned with the regular occurrences of fires, let us brainstorm these questions: Should or should not the Dayak Ibans continue to build longhouses? Will it not be more sensible or practical of them to opt for single houses?

He listed the following points in favour of single houses:

1. Reduce the risk of mass destruction by fire,
2. Easier to keep clean,
3. Freedom of choice for the individual in terms of size of room,
4. Freedom of choice of colour of the walls or the roof,
5. Sufficient space for landscape suited to individual taste, and
6. Animal rearing and protection- fencing.

The following points in favour of building new longhouses:

1. Cultural heritage,
2. Ample space for observation of customs and traditional practices,
3. Security of inhabitants under one roof, and
4. Close rapport among inhabitants.

Sidi suggested that Government should conduct a series of seminars during which frank views are allowed in respect of the merits and demerits of the above questions.

“Invite representative of the victims of recent fires as participants, community leaders, representatives from the Ministry of Housing and the Bomba to these talks. Local architects and insurance agents may be interested to observe the proceedings.

“During the seminars causes of fires in each particular case – human carelessness, defective wiring, etc may be disclosed. Their effects are not hard to imagine.

“We are not, by any stretch of the imagination, suggesting that the existing longhouse should be pulled down. We are talking about a ban on constructing NEW buildings,” he said and added: “These are some of my views. Your views could well be much better than mine”. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Entulu under fire

THE PANEL SPEAKERS (left to right): Sidi Munan, Dr Elie Luhat, Datuk John Tenewi Nuek, Assoc. Prof. Dr Andrew Aeria (moderator), Mering Wan & Dr John Brian

Deputy Minister for rural and regional development Joseph Entulu was severely criticised at a forum today (11 July 2009) for suggesting that the term “Dayak” be dropped as its connotation was uncivilized, uncouth and low class.

The forum, should the term ‘Dayak’ be dropped, was organised by The Borneo Post in collaboration with the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU).

Five panel speakers addressed some 150 participants, the majority of them were professionals, pensioners, businessmen and university students.

SDNU publicity chief Dr. John Brian Anthony said that the term “Dayak” was used anthropologically to describe the natives of Borneo.

He said: “It is sillier to suggest dropping the term ‘Dayak’. He must be drunk. Otherwise he is playing to the gallery of those who are against the term ‘Dayak’.

“It is our intention to bring all the natives together under the name of Dayak, but there are people who think that the Dayaks are threat. That is why Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) cannot be registered because it is considered a security threat to the nation,” he said.

SDNU which was formed in 1956 was considered as opposition organisation and because this organisation was being punished and no financial aids were given to it, he said, pointing out that the government gave funds to Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA), Orang Ulu National Union (OUNA) and other NGOs in order to spite SDNU.

It seemed, he said, that Entulu was given the job of bashing the Dayak community.

Next speaker was Sidi Munan, president of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), who said that the dropping of term to say the least was stupid and lack of understanding of history.

“I am wondering whether it is a government proposal. It looks like it. It may be slip of the tongue, but coming from the heart,” he said.

Sidi recalled an incident in 1967 in which someone suggested that the term ‘Dayak’ be dropped.

“And there is something more than meets the eye,” he said, and warned of the legal, political and cultural implications and consequences especially in respect of I Malaysia concept.

“There will be no gawai Dayak and the Federal Constitution need to be amended. Thus it is more good than harm to retain the name in this context,” he said.

Presenting his views next was Dr. Elie Luhat, deputy president of Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA).

He said: “If you want to get rid of the word ‘Dayak’ we are doing the work of others, that is, ‘ethnic cleansing’.

“And my advice to politicians is that if you proceed with the proposal to remove the word ‘Dayak’ you are creating problems and issues that will cause you to commit political suicide," Elie said.

Former Ambassador to Myanmar, Venezuela and Mexico, Datuk John Tenewi Nuek said that he was proud to be a Dayak and had never been humiliated for being so, pointing out that he traveled to several countries in his capacity as an officer of the foreign service.

He said that it was politically wise to retain the name as it provided a common umbrella for the various native groups to work and strengthen their political unity.

“Why should we change the word ‘Dayak’ which is already a brand name which gives us the best marketing strategy? Dayak is synonymous with Borneo.

“Dropping the name will be a step backward from the political, economic and cultural point of view,” he said.

Mering Wan from the Orang Ulu community said that he was proud to be a Malaysian, and prouder still to be a Dayak.

When the forum was opened to the floor, several participants spoke against the decision to change the term ‘Dayak’. - The Broken Shied

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Dr. John Brian Anthony, publicity chief of SDNU and owner of Dayakbaru.com receives a memento from Mr M. Rajah of The Borneo Post