KUCHING: A recent statement on Facebook by an executive committee member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak, Dr John Brian Anthony, has been described as completely unhinged from reality.
In a statement issued last Saturday, Ukar Kelayang, who is Bintulu Member of Parliament’s political bureau chief, said John’s allegations subverted the interests of the Dayaks.
“His allegations will create disputes and split the native communities socially and politically,” he said.
“He accused the state government of undermining the Dayaks for the past 56 years. The allegations are baseless and deceitful.
“His claims that the Sarawak ruling coalition has been using the Dayaks for political mileage did not take into account the steady development implemented by the state government.”
Ukar noted that unlike Pakatan Harapan (PH), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is continuously working for the Dayaks on several issues particularly on land matters.
“Can the PH government claim to be making efforts to improve and upgrade the native courts to be on par with the civil and Syariah courts?” he asked.
“The GPS is improving these legal mechanisms to better safeguard the interests and rights of the natives.
“Astoundingly, the PH wants to implements it Village Community Management Council (MPKK) which would destroy the unity of the natives and irreparably disrupt their tranquil lives.”
Ukar wants the public to ask John to tell them how many land cases brought to court remained unsettled and how much the longhouse communities have been asked to pay to fight their cases in court.
He claimed that when natives sought help from PH lawmakers to settle land disputes, they are often charged heavy fees, and their sorry circumstances were spun and used to get political mileage.
“These so-called ‘wakil rakyat’ and lawyers took money from poor people. Is this PH’s idea of serving the people? John should be transparent about how much money he had received from the natives for settling land disputes,” he said.
“There are many problems and land issues that have caused untold misery, confusion and disharmony. How much has John done to alleviate the problems?”
He then advised John to stop posting pointless and meaningless content on his Facebook page.
