By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 18: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak Bandar Kuching branch chief Dominique Ng has urged the unity government to recognise the Native Customary Rights (NCR) of local native communities by including them in government-linked companies (GLC) oil palm plantations and schemes so that they can at least reap some benefits from their lands again.
He raised this in his debate entitled ‘Empowering the rights of Sarawak and Sabah in the Malaysia Madani framework’ at the PKR special congress held in Kuala Lumpur, streamed live via Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s social media today.
“I want to remind the unity government under the leadership of Pakatan Harapan (PH), particularly PKR, of what we have and always promised to the people of Sarawak. That is the NCR land.
“In our campaign over the years, we have said that if we formed the government, we would return the NCR land to the native people of Sarawak,” he reminded.
Even though Sarawak is not led by PH or PKR, Ng, however, pointed out that GLCs such as Felda, Felcra, and Tabung Haji are owned by the unity government.
“As such, we can instruct them to do their best. Do what is right is what we are saying.
“With such measures (recognising rights of native people to their customary land), then can native Sarawakians enjoy the benefits and experience the little change in their lives,” he said.
Ng also added that it is by empowering the native people that the government can empower the rights of Sarawak and Sabah in the Malaysia Madani framework.
Later at the event, Ng also handed over a proposal on how to solve the stateless problem in Sarawak to the Home Ministry for Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to take appropriate action as he is deeply concerned that stateless children are denied their right to compulsory education. — DayakDaily
