By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 29: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Datuk Idris Buang calls on Sarawak Suhakam Commissioner Dr Madeline Berma to state specifically who and where are the stateless indigenous people of Sarawak who are most affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Idris asserted that she has to substantiate her claim in the media with details of her research or finding.
“The Suhakam spokeperson should have been more specific as to which group or groups of people that she had meant to be ‘stateless indigenous people of Sarawak’ who are ‘most affected by MCO’.
“She ought to have been more contextually vivid and elaborative in her statement, giving proper description, identity and location of those people purportedly ‘excluded’ from getting assistance from the government in the forms of BPN (Bantuan Prihati Nasional) or Sarawakku Sayang (Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang) etc.
“To be fair to all, she ought to be more precise as to the nature and extent of research, study or fact finding or otherwise as to how she had come up with such report of ‘findings’ in her statement as reported in the media,” Idris told DayakDaily today.
On May 26, Madeline told DayakDaily that the stateless indigenous people are those most affected during MCO and the reason for the hardship was that some of them, due to their status, have been excluded from relief assistance.
She said this issue was among the topics discussed during the recent Suhakam Sarawak virtual dialogue which was held on April 24, 2020, attended by NGOs, community leaders, academicians and representatives from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and United Nations Development Fund (UNDP).
To Idris who is also Muara Tuang assemblyman, Madeline’s statement claiming that the livelihood of the indigenous people without citizenship status in Sarawak are the most affected during MCO is just “too vague”.
“As it is, the said statement is unfortunately too vague for anyone to make a reasonably fair apprehension or assessment as to the nature and characteristics of the whole problem surrounding the issues she was raising.
“I beg that she and Suhakam should be more fair and responsible by providing a more professional account on the subject so as to prevent unnecessary negative aspersion or perception being cast on the government or any party due to the vagueness of the statement.
“Their immediate response in the matter is highly appreciated,” said Idris.
With proper and accurate information given, he believed that the federal as well as the Sarawak government will take immediate action to render all necessary assistance and to do the needful for those truly affected by MCO. -DayakDaily
