KUCHING, Oct 5: Sarawak Patriots Association (SPA) holds that the appointment of Village Community Management Council (MPKK) by Pakistan Harapan (PH) is unlawful.
Its chairman Datuk John Lau pointed out that the appointment of MPKK violated the Sarawak Ordinance.
“The appointment of MPKK definitely is one of the many examples that the federal government does not follow the law,” he said in a press statement today.
“The federal government appointment of MPKK has violated Article (3) of the Sarawak Community Chiefs and Headmen Ordinance 2004,” he emphasised.
Lau expressed his respect for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for affirming the whole nation that the federal government will rule the country based on the principle of the rule of law and not what the latter described as the draconian laws of the previous administration.
Reminding that the supreme law of Malaysia is the Federal Constitution, he hoped that that the present federal government not only rule based on the rule of law but also adhere to the law.
On the other hand, the non-governmental oganisation (NGO) also commended the federal government for advocating freedom of speech under Federal Constitution Article 10 (1a), apart from amending laws that were not people-centric.
“Since we are being assured that the rule of law is the coin of the realm, SPA invites the federal government to allow the citizen formation of the Native Court of Equity so that conflicting issues can be addressed, amicably determined and resolved,” he proposed.
“At the end of the day, good fences make good partnership,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Rural Development Minister Sivarasa Rasiah had recently announced that the federal government will appoint their own Tuai Rumah or community leaders in the state.
Sivarasa said the idea was mooted after the federal cabinet decided to revamp and rebrand the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) to MPKK in June last year.
The announcement has caused much protests from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders, alleging that by doing so, the rural community will be divided.
Despite so, PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said the PH government will definitely implement MPKK as a parallel system to the existing grassroots leader system of JKKK.
PH Sarawak since then has come out with an appointed list of leaders in different state constituencies.— DayakDaily
