On Today Show
—【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】 Roland Engan, President of PEWARIS Baram – The Role of the Native Court: Seeking Justice for Improper Tribal Leader Appointments
—【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】Elia Bit, Social Activist on Citizenship issue – The Importance of MyKad: A Message to the Youth
— Barnie Lasimbang, activist and resident in Penampang – Penampang's Worst Flood in Years: Inadequate Planning and Mitigation to Blame
Topik Pada Hari Ini
—【FORUM：SUARA KOMUNITI】 Roland Engan, Presiden PEWARIS Baram – Peranan Mahkamah Adat: Mencari Keadilan bagi Pelantikan Pemimpin Suku yang Tidak Wajar
—【FORUM：SUARA KOMUNITI】 Elia Bit, Aktivis Sosial mengenai Isu Kewarganegaraan – Kepentingan MyKad: Pesanan untuk Generasi Muda
— Barnie Lasimbang, aktivis dan penduduk di Penampang – Banjir Terburuk di Penampang dalam Tahun-tahun: Perancangan dan Mitigasi yang Tidak Mencukupi untuk Dipersalahkan
-------------------
【FORUM：COMMUNITY VOICE】
Roland Engan, President of PEWARIS Baram
*The Role of the Native Court: Seeking Justice for Improper Tribal Leader Appointments*
Roland describes Sarawak as heading towards an autocratic state administration. Not only is the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) almost entirely controlled by GPS, but the procedures for appointing tribal and community leaders are fully controlled by the state government. For hundreds of years, the appointment of tribal leaders in Sarawak was done by consensus by the longhouse residents themselves.
On August 2, 1980, the Sarawak government issued a circular outlining the procedure for appointing tribal leaders through negotiations between the penghulu and the district office. In 2004, the Ordinance of Tribal Leaders and Community Leaders was drafted but not enforced, and in 2021, the ordinance was withdrawn. However, since 2011, the Sarawak government circular stipulated that the appointment of tribal leaders must go through the Resident Office of the Division and must pass through the tribal leader appointment committee, whose permanent members include the local YB/ADUN. This has sparked excessive political interference in the appointment of tribal leaders in Sarawak. Moreover, once a village chief is appointed, he has the absolute power to appoint the list of JKKK (Village Development and Security Committee) members under his administration. This completely stifles the democratic process in villages and longhouses.
Roland Engan brought three cases of improper appointments of tribal leaders to court, and one of them was won. In the Long Bedian case, the High Court judge ruled that the procedure for appointing the tribal leader was incorrect. The other two cases/judicial reviews were not allowed, with the judge stating that government appointments could not be challenged in court as it was a government policy. However, Roland advises village communities to bring their cases back to the Native Court. Roland was particularly affected by the directive on the certificate of appointment for tribal leaders, which reads, "the duty of the tribal leader/community leader is to do what is directed by the government." This means that the tribal leader merely follows the GPS government's wishes, whether right or wrong.
