By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 8: Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong has requested the Sarawak government to consider giving allowances to headmen of longhouses of less than 20 doors or at least 15 doors.
He said presently, there were still quite a number of Tuai Rumahs (longhouse headmen) who have not been given any allowance as at the moment, only Tuai Rumahs with 20 doors or more were eligible to be paid allowances.
“I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) state government to consider giving allowances to Tuai Rumahs having less than 20 doors. Perhaps, we should consider those with at least 15 doors.
“As a matter of fact, they have the same responsibilities as those Tuai Rumahs with longer longhouses.
“They too have JKKK (Village Security and Development Committee) which operates on the same manner. They play equally important role in our society and they are too many to ignore,” he highlighted when debating on the 2020 Sarawak Budget at Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting today.
Meanwhile, on another issue related to the native community, Allan Siden pointed out that the amended land code was a good piece of legislative, giving the natives the rights to claim their Pemakai Menua and Pulau Galau (PMPG).
He said the perimeter survey of the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land and PMPG under Section 6 was to speed up the demarcation of boundaries between various communities and longhouses as well as between native land areas and state land.
Eventually, all the agreed parcels within the perimeter will be surveyed under Section 18 to obtain individual titles, he said.
“At this point, I wish to call any members of this august House, to show us here and now where and when NCR lands surveyed and gazetted under Section 6 have been ‘dirampas oleh kerajaan’ (grabbed by the government).
“If you cannot show any proof then stop making such allegation. Don’t ever think you have the exclusive rights to defend and protect the landowners.
“By asking people to reject perimeter survey of their land, you are doing a greater injustice in the long run,” he added.— DayakDaily
