Monday 27 March 2017

Land Custody and development authority should cease to be managing agent if it fails in its role in NCR joint ventures, says Raja



KUCHING, March 27, 2017 - Dayak National Congress, a non-governmental organisation, has asked the state government to review, evaluate and to place under public scrutiny of native customary rights land managed by the land custody and development authority (LCDA) in joint ventures with the private sector.


The newly elected members of the Dayak National Congress executive committee. Paul Raja is seen seated (middle row) fourth from right.

"In the event that LCDA is found to have failed in its object, it will have to cease to be the managing agent for Dayak NCR Lands," the newly elected DNC president Paul Raja said in a statement today.

He said so far there has been no transparent report to the public on its success in uplifting the rural Dayak economy.

"Instead it had been sued throughout the state on the grounds of land grabbing and failure to improve the lot of the rural Dayaks," he said, adding that the government must intervene to rectify the situation.

Raja also suggested that before any proposal to develop all NCR land developments is carried out, either present or future, there must on free prior and informed consent basis and involve the native landowners directly.

At the DNC triennial delegates conference on March 25, Raja said it was resolved that the Dayak customs must be available as a subject in all Dayak schools throughout Sarawak.

Other resolution adopted at the conference was for the protection Of Dayak Intellectual Properties, including traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions, literary expressions, motifs, arts, medicine, dances and performances and artifacts from being exploited by non-Dayaks.

Raja said it was resolved that prior permission or consent must be obtained from a proper Dayak body or organisation.

He said necessary laws be enacted to protect Dayak Intellectual Properties.

The other resolutions were:
(1) That the Dayak system of titles and awards be established to award and recognise deserving individuals and that a Council of Elders be established to be the Custodian Adat on titles and awards.

(2) That all the necessary assistance including the Sustainable Palm Oil Clusters [SPOC] be provided to Dayak smallholders, and

(3) That development, namely, communication system such as road, telecommunication, public facilities, utilities and infrastructure must be expedited in Dayak rural areas to be on par with urban development.

Meanwhile, a new committee has been elected for the new term from 2017 to 2020. 
Apart from the election of Raja as president, the conference also elected Richard Lias as deputy president, and Jalumin Bayogoh, Robert Tella Gunjom and Abell Ahing as vice presidents.

The post of secretary general went to Douglas Alau while Teresa Gintin was elected as deputy secretary general.

Fabian Tissen was elected treasurer general and George Young Siricod Jr as deputy treasurer general and eight ordinary committee members were also elected.

Immediate past president Mengga Mikui and former deputy president Datuk John Tenewi Nuek have been appointed as trust officers of DNC.

Raja also explained that DNC is an NGO, not a political party.

"Some people are still thinking that we are a political party. We are not," he said, adding that DNC, as an NGO, speaks for and on Dayak issues particularly on NCR land matters and development.

"Of course there are many Dayak NGOs who also speak on NCR lands, but our involvement has been pioneering unity among various Dayak NGOs to work together in our struggle for our rights, interests and privileges," he said, adding that he believed in working with all Dayak NGOs as each of them has its own strength.

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