Sabahans protest against new assembly law

Policemen watched a gathering protesting the Peaceful Assembly Bill, rampant land-grabs and the government's refusal to initiate an RCI on illegal immigrants.

PENAMPANG: Sabahans have joined the growing legion of Malaysians against the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill.

Yesterday some 100 activists and supporters of three causes including the anti-Assembly Bill gathered at the famed Mojuntin Square at the Donggongon township here.

At 11.30am the large group moved towards the statue where they stopped and sang the state anthem “Sabah Tanah Airku” under the watchful eye of about 30 policemen stationed around the square.

At the square they first laid three wreaths at the statue of the late Peter Joinod Mojuntin, “the golden son of the Kadazandusuns” before unfurling protest banners.

Mojuntin, a cherished leader of the Kadazandusun community who was from Penampang, perished in an unexplained plane crash near the Kota Kinabalu airport in 1976, together with other Sabah leaders including then Chief Minister, Fuad Stephens.

The leaders of the group then led the crowd to pay reverence to Mojuntin by bowing three bows before his statue and before laying the three wreaths.

They later unfurled a banner protesting the Peaceful Assembly Bill and hoisted placards demanding a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in the state.

They also protested the erosion of native customary rights (NCR) and the spate of land grabs.

Alongwith the the RCI and NCR issues, the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill which lawyers have said was restrictive, has been a hot topic and the butt of jokes among ordinary Sabahans for several days now.

The amended version of the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed in parliament by a simple voice vote yesterday.

Frustrated opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat members staged a walkout hours before voting began because the government was adamant in passing the bill despite objections by various quarters including Pakatan reps.

Also present at the protest here were senior NGO and political leaders. Among them were Melanie Chia, state assemblywoman for Luyang from SAPP, well-known local activist Patrick Sindu, Daniel John Jambun who represented UBF (United Borneo Front) chairman Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Cleftus Mojingol of MoCS Sabah, Chua Men Nam, a son of a local successful trader who is also President of Sabah Small Rubberholders Association, and lawyer Peter Marajin.

The organisers of the event were a group of 13 NGOs and political parties (SAPP and Parti Sosialis Malaysia – PSM), who set up a loose committee helmed by state activists Kanul Gindol, Michael Liew (MCLM – Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement) and Daniel John (CigMa – Common Interest Group Malaysia).

Among the NGOs involved or represented were PACOS, UBF, Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF), Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo, Transparency International, MAFREL, Sabah Pogun Tokou Society, Land-Grabs Victims Association, MoCS Sabah chapter, SABM (Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia) and AWAS (Angkatan Warisan Rakyat Sabah).

---------------------Bahasa Malaysia Version ------------------------

13 pertubuhan buat bantahan aman minta RCI ditubuhkan

Hayati Dzulkifli

PENAMPANG: Sebanyak 13 pertubuhan termasuk dua parti politik mengadakan bantahan aman di sini Selasa.

Mereka meminta Kerajaan Persekutuan menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja (RCl ) untuk menyiasat kemasukan beramai-ramai pendatang tanpa izin, Projek-lC dan pengundi hantu di Sabah, dan menyuarakan aduan dan rasa tidak puas hati mereka terhadap perampasan tanah dan membantah kelulusan Rang Undang-Undang Perhimpunan Aman 2011.

Kira-kira 50 orang terdiri daripada pemimpin dan ahli dari pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, parti Maju Sabah(SAPP) dan parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) mengadakan tunjuk perasaan di tugu Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin pukul 1 I .30 pagi.

NGO itu adalah Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo, Malaysian Sivil Liberties Movement (MCLM), Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM), Angkatan Warisan Rakyat Sabah (Awas), Partners of Community Organisation Trust (Pacos), United Borneo Front (UBF), Common Interest Group of Malaysia (Cigma), Rangkaian Mangsa-mangsa Rampas, Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF), Pergerakan Sabah Pogun Tokou.

Pengasas Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo, Kanul Gindol yang mengetuai perhimpunan itu berkata, bantahan itu diadakan selari dengan bantahan awam,yang diadakan di seluruh negara terhadap Rang Undang-Undang perhimpunan Aman 2011yang ditetapkan untuk kelulusan di parlimen pada Selasa.

"Dan ini juga masa yang sesuai untuk mengadakan perhimpunan seperti itu di tempat bersejarah di sini untuk memperingati pengorbanan dan perjuangan pemimpin Kadazan Sabah yang kita sayangi, mendiang Datuk peter J. Mojuntin.


"Kita berkumpul di sini secara aman untuk menggesa kerajaan Persekutuan supaya menghormati Hak Adat Anak Negeri (NCR) dan menubuhkan RCI yang perlu untuk menyiasat kehadiran pendatang tanpa izin, KP palsu dan pengundi hantu di Sabah.

"Kami menyuarakan bantahan dan aduan yang kami terima demi kepentingan penduduk Sabah untuk membuatkan kerajaan mendengar dan mengambil tindakan," katanya.

Kepada satu soalan, beliau berkata, mereka telah memaklumkan polis daerah di sini mengenai acara itu dan telah mendapat kebenaran secara lisan untuk mengadakan bantahan secara aman selama 15 minit.

Mereka menyanyikan lagu ‘Sabah Tanah Airku’ dan beberapa pemimpin pertubuhan itu meletakkan kalungan bunga di tugu itu diikuti dengan majlis bertafakur selama setengah minit sebagai tanda hormat.

Ketua Wanita SAPP yang turut hadir berkata, mereka mahukan keadilan dan kesaksamaan wujud terhadap tiga isu itu.

Katanya, rakyat harus dibenarkan berhimpun secara aman untuk mengenengahkan aduan dan masalah yang mereka hadapi serta dalam memperjuangkan keadilan terhadap banyak kes rampasan tanah seperti yang telah disiarkan secara meluas.

Aktivis sosial, Datuk Patrick Sindu, yang turut hadir berkata, ibu kepada segala masalah yang dihadapi Sabah adalah perjanjian asal yang ditandatangani mengenai penubuhan Malaysia pada Julai 1963.

Katanya, masanya sudah tiba untuk mengkaji semula perjan- jian itu "kerana Sabah kini dijajah Malaya. "

Turut hadir ialah ketua bahagian PKR Penampang Darrel Leiking, Ketua Penerangan SAPP Chong Pit Fah dan bekas presiden Pasok Cleftus Mojingol.

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