GOVERNMENT-APPOINTED CHIEFS DO NOT ALWAYS ACT IN THE INTEREST OF LOCAL RESIDENTS?

Indigenous People’s Network wants open elections

MIRI: The Indigenous People’s Network of Malaysia wants open elections for the post of community leaders such as ketua kampung, penghulu and longhouse chief.

On Saturday, the network called for an end to the current practice of appointing these community leaders.

It wanted the residents in the settlements to be given the right to elect these leaders.

The proposal was one of several important issues being discussed when the national inquiry on native issues organised by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) kicked off in Miri Saturday.

The network, which is a coalition of some three dozen indigenous associations throughout the country, is among the organisations taking part in the inquiry.

Sarawak Rural Women Association president Hellan Empaing said at the moment, the state government appointed the community head in any kampung, settlement or longhouse.

“The indigenous communities are not happy with the current practice because these chiefs are appointed by the government they are not chosen by the majority of the community residents.

“These government-appointed chiefs do not always act in the interest of the residents. That is why there are so many problems with regards to land rights, land development issues and social development issues,’’ she said.

Empaing said an open election would enable the community toelect the person  most respected by the majority.

Apart from the proposal for open election for community leaders, latest issues concerning logging, dam construction, oil palm plantation expansion, native customary rights violations and poverty are also tabled for debate.

Network president Adrian Lasimbang said the inquiry was a very important forum as it would enable all the communities in the state and country to highlight the problems they are facing.

Suhakam Commissioner Mohammad Shaani Abdullah, who represented the commission at the inquiry on Saturday, said the commission would compile all the requests and present them to the government.