Baru meets Indonesian officials on drug menace

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, June 10, 2014: Ba'Kelalan State Assemblyman Baru Bian pledged to convey to Chief Minister Adenan Satem on issues raised by the Indonesian officials pertaining to drug related problems in the Indonesian town of Long Bawan and other issues raised by the officials.

Picture: Baru, flanked by PKR Petrajaya branch chief Baharuddin Mokhsen (left) and PKR Stampin branch secretary Desmond Kho, at the press conference.

Baru said much of the drugs, particularly Syabu, were trafficked in to Long Bawan through Ba'Kelalan, from Miri and Sabah.

He said he was as concerned as the Indonesian officials regarding the drug menace.

"Six or seven people have been arrested by the Indonesian authorities for smuggling syabu," he said at a press conference today.

On June 2, Baru made an official visit to Long Bawan, which can be reached from Ba'Kelalan.

"I had wanted to make this visit as I am extremely concerned about the drug problems in my constituency and I had also heard that the authorities in Long Bawan shared my concerns.

"It is well known that they have the same problems which we face in Ba'Kelalan," he said.

He said he met with representatives from the Indonesian district, police, army, civil aviation, medical, education and Immigration officials.

Several community leaders were also present at the meeting.

"I believe that this is the first official visit by a Sarawakian state assemblyman and I was happy that they were very receptive to my suggestion of a meeting to hear their issues which they wished to convey to the state government, especially the chief minister," Baru stressed.

Among the issues raised by the Indonesian officials are:

-a request to establish radio communication with Malaysia for ease of contact in case of emergencies;

-cooperation in tackling drug trafficking through Ba'Kelalan to Long Bawan and drug abuse in Long Bawan;

-setting up a transportation system for goods to and from the border towns, in consultation with the community leaders;

- expediting the building of a border control post to ensure a proper system of entry and exit;

-tourism potential - tapping into the tourist arrivals at Long Bawan Airport which is capable of handling Boeing 737 aircraft landings;

- an openness to discuss strategies for handling medical emergencies and dangerous illnesses;

-a request to work together towards uplifting the educational standards of our communities, including a request for assistance in the provision of educational books and materials; and

-a request for extension of the border permit to allow Indonesian citizens to enter Sarawak up to Lawas instead of the current 8km limit from the border.

Baru said the Indonesian officials also spoke about the problems faced by the Indonesians who work in Lawas.

"They reported instances where workers were mistreated and even deprived of their wages and in one case, the worker walked for many miles to escape from his employer," he said.

He said that he told the Indonesian officials that he bring up these issues with the chief minister and state government.

"I am hopeful that we will be able to establish more formal ties and cooperative working relationship with the Indonesian authorities in Long Bawan for the benefit of our people on both sides of the border," he said.