The legendary Tra Zehnder

KUCHING: Sarawak mourns for the loss of two of the most distinguished personalities – the death of James Wong on Monday, July 18, who was one of the founding fathers of Sarawak’s independence within the federation of Malaysia, and the other is Sarawak’s first appointed Council Negeri (State legislative assembly) member Tra Zehnder.

Tra passed away on Friday night, the day when Wong was buried in Limbang. A few hundred people attended her funeral service on Monday July 25.

Both Wong and Tra, who had contributed immensely to Sarawak’s social and political development, had created history one way or the other and had set up exemplary roles for young Sarawakians.

For Tra, she was best known for her fight not only against injustice and unfairness meted out against the Dayaks by the colonial government, but her crusade against the exploitation and degradation of Iban women depicted on postcards as bare-breasted beauties which were also used as tourism ‘materials’.

Born as Philomena Tra on October 25, 1926 to Inting Jemat and Sara Unang, both Ibans from Simanggang, she married a Burmese Eurasian who was a colonial government officer. Through her marriage, she was placed among those in high society, an opportunity not many women, less of all Dayak women were able to enjoy.

Tra’s leadership quality was first spotted in 1957 by Mr. Jakeway, chief Secretary to the Sarawak Colonial Government when she was actively involved in Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) which she used as a vehicle to fight against injustice and oppression against particularly the Dayaks.

She was the secretary of the association and later became one of its longest serving presidents whose tirade was against the exploitation and manipulation of Iban women posed bare-breasted as tourism materials and pictured in post cards for overseas “consumption”.

After repeatedly calling for such cards to be banned, the government finally gave in to her demands when pictures of bare-breasted women were removed from the walls and postcards containing the same were banned.

Known among the official circles as a fighter, it was not surprising that Tra was appointed to be the first woman as a member of the council Negeri. In the council which was dominated by men, she managed to make her presence felt through her oratorical skills and her eloquence in English which was the only language used in the Council.

One of her first demands was to call on the Colonial Government to recognise the existence of the Dayaks, their contribution to Sarawak’s economy, racial harmony and stability by declaring one day in a year as Gawai Dayak preferably to be on June 1 every year.

Although her request was rejected, she had, however, paved the way for Stephen Kalong Ningkan’s government to approve it.

Today, 46 years later Gawai Dayak has always been observed state-wide, and recognised nationally.

“All these years, I have been giving and continue to give free and voluntary service. I have never thought of any reward to do my bit for the Dayak community. What I want is to see that the Dayak people especially the women to go side by side with the others. This is what I try to do”, she said to a reporter after the Council sitting.

Following Ningkan’s dismissal as chief minister of Sarawak in 1966, Tra was inspired by him into politics and was naturally chosen to lead the women division of Sarawak National Party until she resigned together with other leaders to form Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) in June 1983.

Like in SNAP, Tra used PBDS as a platform to travel state-wide in trying to instil political awareness among the Dayaks and self-respect among the womenfolk. As a result of her tireless efforts, thousands of Dayaks joined PBDS making it the second largest political parties after Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). By 1990 PBDS was reported to have nearly 200,000 members.

Partly due to her age, Tra resigned from PBDS after helming the women division in 1988. Also leaving PBDS together with her were Vida Bayang, YB Gramong Juna and YB Mikai Mandau. Juna and Mikai joined PBB and brought with them their seats.

Tra was rewarded with the 'Temenggongship' for the Iban community in Kuching Division from July 1988 to March 1996. Upon the expiry of her term as Temenggong, she was appointed as the president of the Sarawak Natives Council of Adat which was tasked to codify all the natives Adat, culture and heritage. She held the post for six years.

For all her contributions she was honoured with Datukship and became the first recipient of Laila Taib award.

Debate speech by YB See Chee How

Debate speech by See Chee How, State Assemblyman for Batu Lintang, on 23rd day of June, 2011 on the Motion to Appreciate the TYT’s Address delivered on 21 June 2011

Dato Sri Speaker,

Thank you for allowing me to participate in this debate on the Motion of appreciation to his Excellency Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di Pertua Negeri’s Address on 21st June, 2011 and at the same time to raise some issues in this August House.

I am grateful to the voters of Batu Lintang for electing me to this House. I have given my solemn oath in this legendary Dewan to discharge my duties and serve to the best of my ability, the interests of the state and the country. I am proud of it, to represent the constituents in Batu Lintang who have all registered their faith in our Pakatan Rakyat, as the way forward for this great state and country that we all loved.

Dato Sri Speaker, it is undoubted that the BN had scored a huge victory at the just concluded Sarawak State Election. To that, I congratulate YAB and his BN team.

However, it is also an irrefutable fact that the Oppositions had scored a resounding victory of securing 45% of the popular votes polled. Had the democratic principle of one constituent one vote be followed and practiced, the Opposition should have won 31 seats in this Honourable Dewan.

The 2-coalitions system has now taken shape and Sarawak has certainly progressed in our democratic process.

But, I am not here to advocate different and hostile political support and interests of the BN and Pakatan. In fact, as a new member, I have much and am eager to learn from senior members of this Honourable Dewan, the Honourable members on both side of the political divide.

Indeed, I am guided by the time honoured statement of Edmund Burke (1729 – 1797), the British statesman and philosopher, who said, and I quote:

“Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain, as an agent and advocate, against other agents and advocates; but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. You choose a member indeed; but when you have chosen him, he is not a member of Bristol, but he is a member of parliament.”

I was henceforth, disappointed and annoyed when my question 3 submitted to this Honourable Dewan, was rejected on the ground that I am unable to substantiate the statement made in my question.

Dato Sri Speaker, nobody has ever asked me to substantiate whatever statement that I have made in my question No. 3.

In rejecting my question on such a ground, the charge proffered and framed against me was serious, and the sentence was passed without giving me a chance to defend myself. This, should not have happened to any Honourable member of this Dewan.

I am not being personal, contrary to deliberate suspicion and doubt of certain quarters. In fact, I was being told by my sources that Yang Amat Berhormat the honourable member of Balingian was not aware of the matter.

In all sincerity, I am raising the matter as a member of this honourable Dewan, in the interests of the state, to inculcate good governance

Dato Sri Speaker, any right thinking person would be alarmed, to notice particulars of the timber licenses as follows:-

1. Timber Licence T/8487 issued on 21 March 2011 over the NCR Land at Lemanak Area, Lubok Antu, with a concession area of 3,281 ha;

2. Timber Licence T/8493 issued on 25 March 2011 over the Stateland at Batang Ai / Sg Engkari area within Batang Ai Catchment, with a concession area of 830 ha;

3. Timber Licence T/8492 issued on 25 March 2011 over the catchment area and NCR land measuring 2,250 ha adjoining T/8493;

4. Timber Licence T/3568 issued on 11 April 2011 over the Stateland at Sg Dangap/Sg Bian area in Pakan District, with a concession area of 3,367 ha;

5. Timber Licence T/8497 issued on 14 April 2011 over the Stateland between Sg Tu and Sg Sangang at the west side of Sg Sarawak Kiri, which is the Bengoh water catchment area, with a concession area of 2,612 ha;

Then, we have T/8496, next to the Bengoh timber concession area covered under T/8497, T/3567 in Balai Ringin, T/3561 and T/3566 in Kanowit and T/9181 in Bakong.

It is understood that there are more than these aforesaid timber licenses being issued in between the time when the previous State Assembly was dissolved on 21 March 2011 and polling on 16 April 2011.

Besides the improper timing in the issuance of the timber licences, it is blatant contravention of our laws to issue timber concession licences over water catchment areas and known NCR lands. Credibility, Accountability and Transparency, which are the hallmarks of good governance, as the state governments of Selangor, Penang, Kelantan and Kedah have shown, are what we aspired. And it is based on these sound principles of governance that this Dewan demands answers from the government of the day.

As I have said earlier, it appears so, and I was quite relieved when I researched into the background of the companies and concession holders that I am not looking at one particular person and or his family. I therefore urge that Ahli Yang Amat Berhormat the Chief Minister would look into this matter and enlighten us as to his findings.

Dato Sri Speaker, I therefore hold firm in my belief that my Question 3 is proper and justified. And I raised the question to uphold the interests of the people of Sarawak, the constitution and the laws of Sarawak and Malaysia, as we have sworn to perform and achieve as honourable members of this Dewan.

Dato Sri Speaker, when we stand up and speak in this Honourable Dewan, it is my respectful opinion that we should not be deem to be advocating different and hostile political interests of the BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

Indeed, for the general good of all Sarawakians, and Malaysians, we should be able to work together, complement each others, despite our different political affiliations.

In the run-up to the recently concluded state election, the honourable Prime Minister had made election pledges in excess of RM600 million, to voters in various parts of Sarawak. On the other hand, the honourable Deputy Prime Minister announced projects to the tune of RM200 million. And it has just being revealed in the parliament that a total of 62 projects and programmes were promised, with an aggregate worth of RM1.18 billion.

Two months have passed, and 2 months of deafening silence from the country’s top 2 leaders as to the realization of the election pledges.

It therefore called upon us, from both sides of the political divide, to work together, to accelerate the delivery of these election pledges, in the interests of all Sarawakians.

Our combine commitments and dedication will certainly make this motherland a great and model democracy.

And there are friends of Sarawak who are eager to and tirelessly contributing towards the democratization and conscientization of our state and all our rakyat.

It therefore calls to questions, the “Not To Land” orders which were slapped on exemplary fellow Malaysians personalities such as former Bar Council President Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, university lecturer Dr Wong Chin Huat, lawyer activist Haris Ibrahim, human rights and social activists Ong Boon Kiong, Steven Ng, Cynthia Gabriel, Jerald Gomez, Colin Nicholas, Dr Kua Kia Soong, and many others including even Member of Parliament Sdr Sivarasa Rasiah.

This certainly reflected badly on the state’s governance.

Dato Sri Speaker, our state’s lack of resolve to address the sexual harassment of Penan women and young girls and violation of their rights is another matter subjecting us to unrelenting international criticisms.

Last month, 7 May to be exact, another letter was written by the coalition of Malaysian NGOs, the Penan Support Group together with other women’s rights NGOs, addressing to the UN Special Rapportuer on Violence against Women and the UN Special Rapportuer on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples.

The following are factual:-

Facts:

1. 1995 – First known case of rape of Penan young woman reported to police;

2. The 2009 Federal Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s Task Force Report confirmed that sexual violence and exploitation of Penan women and young girls in Sarawak occurred;

3. The Ministerial Task Force was set up in response to the public outcry which was resulted after the local and national newspapers reported on the matter;

4. Regional and Malaysian NGO Fact Finding Mission recorded seven new allegations of sexual violence in July 2010;

5. May 2011, a Penan woman reported rape to the police;

Facts about the situation of the Penan:

1. Nothing has changed regarding the situation placing young girls and women in rural areas vulnerable to sexual violence;

2. More reports of rape are surfacing to indicate the utter neglect of the government to protect one of the most marginalized communities in Sarawak;

3. Through the state governments of Selangor and Penang, a car specifically dedicated to transporting school children, one of the identified group of Penan rape survivors, is the only known change dedicated to prevent sexual violence. However, it is a fact that one vehicle is grossly inadequate to cover all needed settlements;

Where Good Governance is needed:

1. Dedicate a special task force to demonstrate the seriousness of the government in protecting vulnerable Sarawakians from hideous crime of rape;
2. Immediate implementation and follow-up with the recommendations set forth by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s Task Force Report on sexual violence and exploitation of Penan women and young girls in Sarawak;
3. Working with communities and other stakeholders to address the specific issues of rape in rural areas;
4. Legislate to ensure structural changes are in place to protect girls and women from all form of harm; and
5. Courageous and righteous, and expected to lead by rising beyond party politics in defending the rights of all Sarawakians, especially those most marginalized and in the specific rapes, to demonstrate the government’s duty-bound to act on solving problems and ultimately to prevent sexual harassment and violation from happening in rural Sarawak.

We want to know, what are the state government’s efforts and to what extents have the state ministries and agencies corroborated assisted and working together with the Federal Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to ensure that the recommendations arising from the Federal cabinet’s National Task Force Report, released in September 2009 (Laporan Jawatankuasa Bertindak Peringkat Kebangsaan Bagi Menyiasat Dakwaan Penderaan Seksual Terhadap Wanita Kaum Penan Di Sarawak), are implemented.

And specifically, we are hopeful that the honourable minister will enlighten us as to the total federal and state allocation, for 2008 to 2011 respectively, to fund the transportation of Penan students to and from their schools, the names of the Penan settlements and the number of students provided with transportation to such primary and secondary schools, and the number of trips provided each year.

Dato Sri Speaker, we are not living in a perfect world. However, if all the honourable members of this Dewan put our minds and acts together, if we discard our political differences and hostility, if we look at the collective interests and wellness of the state and the people, we can make Sarawak a better place for us and our future generations to live.

In conclusion, Dato Sri Speaker, I would like to volunteer and offer the Pakatan Rakyat’s policies and programmes which are necessary to bring the country and the state forward. I would therefore recommend the Buku Jingga to all honourable members of this House.

Thank you.

PKR women accuse gov’t, police inaction

KUCHING: Sarawak PKR women throw a scathing attack against the government and the Police for being inaction against the perpetrators of rapes on the Penan women and girls.

“The inaction of the Police, the state and federal governments has encouraged the prepreetractors who are mostly timber workers to commit more rapes,” said Voon Shiak Ni, national vice-president of PKR women wing.

She said: “Since the last report made three years ago in which 14 rape cases against the Penan girls were reported, seven more new cases have surfaced.

“The latest rape case was reported last Monday by a 20-year old Penan woman who alleged that an Indonesian man she knew had repeatedly raped her after coaxing her into following him to the city in the pretext of finding work,” she said.

The woman also told the Police that there had been similar rapes involving other Penan girls in her village, said Voon.

She said that several reports made by a number of taskforces of non-governmental organisations together with suggestions and recommendations had been submitted to the government, the Police, relevant government agencies, the ministry of women, family and community development and even to Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the prime minister.

“Up to now no one has been charged or investigated by the Police though the ministry taskforce report and the NGO task force report on the allegations of rape by timber loggers confirmed the incidents of rapes,” Voon said.

On remarks made by the newly elected state assemblyman for Telang Usan Dennis Ngau, Voon said that positive steps and actions expected to be taken to redress the issue were long overdue.

“Not only the opposition parties had called for investigations, but the civil society including women NGOs in Sarawak had made numerous statements calling for police investigations and government attention on the matter,” she said.

Following the report made last Monday, Ngau was reported to have admitted that there had been a surge in the number of foreigners in the interior because of the expansion of oil palm plantations and logging activities.

He said he would hold an urgent dialogue with the plantation and logging companies to the discuss the matter.

Ngau also announced that the Barisan Nasional is going to set up a taskforce again to look into the plight of the Penan women to show that the government is serious in fighting against rapes involving Penan women and girls.

Voon said: “Our question is - is there a necessity to set up another taskforce upon another taskforce when rapes are still continuing and ruining the lives of the Penan girls and women?

“Have the government intervened yet to see to the prevention of the crimes inflicted upon them?” she asked.

The government, she said, should have looked into suggestions and recommendations made by various taskforces when the issue of rapes surfaced three years ago.

Voon said that the Penan rape issue is not about prosecuting the culprits only, it is about making the right the system and structure in respect of transportation for the Penan children, looking into the logging activities, the impact of the influx of male workers, on the living conditions of the native community, their women and children.

“It also includes how to provide for the survivors of rapes and the children born out of the rapes,” she added.

“All the recommendations outlined to reduce the vulnerability of the Penan community and to improve on the living conditions are contained in the two taskforce reports.

“These reports have been delivered by us to Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, (Minister of Women, Family and community Development), Alfred Jabu, (Deputy Chief Minister), James Masing, (Land Development Minister), Rosmah Mansor, (wife of Prime Minister), Fatimah Abdullah, (minister in the chief minister department), women bureau and even to the education department.

“It is the inaction of the government that allows rapes to continue to plague the Penan community,” Voon said, calling on the government to act on the matter immediately.

“PKR women challenge Dennis Ngau to bring up the issue in the coming sitting of the state assembly,” she said.

Meanwhile, Nurhanim Mokshan, head of Sarawak PKR women wing criticized Fadillah Yusof, Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) youth chief for his failure to look into the plight of the Penan women and girls who complained of being raped again and again.

Fadillah was the one who promised to set up a taskforce to collate information about the alleged rapes of Penan women and girls in an effort to assist police to prosecute the culprits.

He had said that the PBB youth was informed by the police that action could not be taken after the issue because the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who highlighted the issue did not want to share their information.

He also said that these NGOs claimed to have the details but they did not want to share their findings with the police, so it was difficult for the police to act.

In view of that, the PBB youth wing had decided to form a fact-finding taskforce.

“If we found out that there are evidences that such incidents did happen, I myself would lodge a Police report,” said Fadillah, who is also deputy minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Commenting on Fadillah’s remarks, Nurhanim asked: “Why are rapes continuing to happen again and again?

“What are the police doing about it?” she asked.

“I also want to know the progress report of Fadillah’s taskforce. We have not heard anything at all about his taskforce,” she said, asking Fadillah to walk the talk.

Expressing her regrets, she said that another rape case has been reported and she wanted to know what action is Fadillah’s taskforce is doing about it.

“We want Fadillah to answer it. He is the one who pledged to do it,” she said.

She said that PKR on its part had submitted memorandum to various authorities including Rosmah Mansor, wife of the prime minister.

"It is most regrettable that until today nothing has been done about the plight of the Penan women and girls. After all, the Penans are also Malaysian citizens and they too need police protection,” Nurhanim added.

Doris Brodie made a senator

Image source: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=16362

KUCHING - A 49 year-old Doris Brodie (pic above), Women chief of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has been sworn in as a senator at the Dewan Negara, making her as the second Iban woman to be appointed as a senator.

The first Iban woman is Empiang Jabu of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra.

PRS President James Masing described Doris’s appointment as an honour to the Dayak women in the State.

He said: “Indeed it is an honour for PRS and Dayak women folk in the rural areas of Sarawak for Doris to be appointed as a senator.

“We would like to thank Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud for their support in putting Doris as a senator,” Masing said.

It is understood that Masing met the Prime Minister during his recent visit to Kuching and requested for a post of senator be given to his party.

The name of Doris Brodie was given to the Prime Minister who on the “spot” approved the appointment.

All parties in the State Barisan Nasional have each a candidate to be appointed as a senator. PBB has two, one to represent Parti Bumiputra and the Malay community and the other Pesaka and the Dayak community.

When Sarawak National Party (SNAP) was still in the Barisan, its allocation was always held by a non-Dayak and when Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) formed out of SNAP in 2002, SPDP continues the tradition of appointing a non-Dayak as a senator until today.

Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which broke away from SNAP in 1983 was not given such an allocation. Its allocation was held by SNAP.

PRS, which has replaced PBDS, is now happy that the government has finally recognised the role of the rural-based party like PRS to be allocated a senator post.

So for the first time in 46 years the Dayak community has a senator who comes from a party, other than Pesaka, that represents the Dayak community.

For this, Masing must be praised for his effort as he dares to ask the Prime Minister directly. Usually such appointment must be nominated through Taib Mahmud and Alfred Jabu. But if such an appointment is to be made through a proper channel, i.e. through Taib and Jabu, I am surely they will object it.

I was told that when Masing informed Taib about Doris’ appointment, Taib was taken aback.

Even the appointments of community leaders (Temenggong, Pemancha, Penghulu and Tuai Rumah), I am give to understand must pass through Jabu. Many Iban areas now have been waiting for community leaders, for instance, Limbang and Sarikei to name a few - all because, the nominees are not PBB supporters or members.

These are the grouses overheard by The Broken Shield.

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com