By Wilfred Pilo
KOTA SAMARAHAN, Aug 30: About 200 members of the Merdang indigenous community gathered peacefully near Bandar Riyal Market today to submit a memorandum to the Sarawak government, calling for the restoration and preservation of traditional place names linked to their history and cultural identity.
Led by deputy president of the Global Human Rights Federation (Malaysia), Peter John Jaban, the gathering outlined seven demands, including renaming Bandar Riyal to ‘Bandar Merdang’ and Bandar Riyal Market to either ‘Merdang Market ’ or ‘Penghulu Gunang Market’.
Peter John said the proposed changes mattered because the traditional names reflected the community’s identity and longstanding connection to the land.
“This initiative is vital to preserving our heritage and aligns with our rights under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Articles 11, 13(1), 18 and 19,” he said in his speech.
Other demands include renaming Taman Samarindah to ‘Taman Merdang Indah’ and its multipurpose hall to ‘Dewan Penghulu Ben Anak Mergi’.
The community also proposed giving major roads in the area traditional geographical names, including Ulu Sungai Keranji, Ulu Semanit, Ulu Semba, Ulu Sungai Putung, Ulu Sungai Empit, and Ulu Sejiram.
Residential roads, meanwhile, could be named after respected local leaders, including penghulus and other prominent community figures.
Peter John added that while the community supported the formation of a new constituency, they wanted the proposed name ‘N23 Samarindah’ to be renamed ‘N23 Merdang’, which would better reflect the community’s historical connection to the area.
Another demand calls for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) to be applied to future naming exercises involving their traditional lands, which include verifying traditional names and their spelling, establishing geographical boundaries, documenting local history, and recognising historical figures and community leaders.
Peter John said traditional place names were more than words on signboards, as they carried the community’s history, identity and ancestral connection to the land.
He urged the authorities to engage with the community openly and transparently, saying recognition of the Merdang name would help preserve its heritage for future generations.
Also present at the gathering was former senior politician Tan Sri Leo Moggie Irok. — DayakDaily
