Saturday, June 21

Council's discriminatory policy against Dayaks

THE exclusion of 42 Dayak jungle produce traders from Tabuan Jaya in the Stutong Community Market clearly manifests a racially biased policy towards the Dayaks by the SUPP controlled South Kuching City Council (Dewan Bandar Raya Kuching Selatan).

When confronted by leaders of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), the newly appointed City Council James Chan realised this “racially biased” ruling and appealed to them not to publicise it as it was very sensitive. He promised to look into the plight of the Native farmers and allowed the farmers, in the meantime, to carry out their business at the car park at Tabuan Jaya.

According to inside sources, Native farmers selling jungle produce would pose strong competitions to Chinese grown vegetables. Thus, the Native traders should not be allowed to sell their jungle produce at the Stutong Community Market and they should sell their produce at Semaraing, across river, or at 3rd Mile, 7th Mile and 10th Mile markets where they could compete among themselves.

The odd thing is that while there are Chinese traders who do not wish to trade at the Community Market are being “forced” to carry out their business at the market, and there are those who wish to carry out their business there are disallowed. As we found out today, some traders occupy two or three lots and the question is why the empty lots are not given to those traders who are keen to conduct their business at the market such as the jungle produce sellers?

When this market was constructed, its intention was to bring all kinds of traders selling vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken, pork, foods and drinks into one roof so to speak. Thus it is named Stutong Community Market to enable every one irrespective of his race to trade there. This is one way how nation building and racial integration can be enhanced and harmonized.

And the one man who should see this racial integration developed is Michael Manyin who is the Minister in charge of Local Government of which the City Council is under his jurisdiction. He should be the one who should speak up against this biased policy against these poor Dayak vegetable sellers. After all, he is a Dayak and should fight for Dayak interests.
Note: Please visit the following links from http://vynne.com/blog/ for additional information about this issue:

2 comments:

keling menua said...

Mr. Broken Sheld, i salute u for ur book BUT to me the basic problem with our people especially the Iban, we never learn from history. Is this due to due the Iban mentality that our forefathers have been fending off by themselves for survival in the jungles in the years before and thus we are not bothered to think what is happening and affecting us and thereby being fooled every now and then each time election are held?
Mr. Broken Shield, there is so much to put down here and time is limited BUT the the thing is let our Iban leaders fighht among themselves for their self esteem and glory. Bless to them for the merger of PRS and SPDP and may they be more comfortable with their so-called YBs.

Anonymous said...

marginalised for long time but what have been done by our leaders?

look at setinggan. rmh2 iban nadai lot, rumah2 cina bisi lot amat sepiak-sepiak..why?