Economy
Sarawak Report: “Forced To Become Coolies In Their Own Lands”
Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission’s report on Indigenous Rights has finally been made public, thanks to a leak to Sarawak Report
Sarawak Report has received a leaked copy of a devastating official report on the treatment of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, which BN has been trying to keep secret until after the election.
In the report Malaysia’s human rights commission Suhakam has lambasted Taib’s State Government on count after count over its conduct over native land rights.
It concludes that the indigenous people of the region have been “forced to become Coolies in their own lands” by the actions of the Land Custody and Development Authority, which Taib personally chairs.
For weeks there has been concern and questions asked because of the delays over the publication of this report by the BN government.
Just last week former Suhakam members wrote an open letter to Najib Razak expressing their concern that the report has not been made public, with the deadline of April 25th just hours away when the current commission will be disbanded:
“it is imperative that Suhakam releases the report for public review and study….In not releasing the report before the end of the tenure of the current Commission, Suhakam might be in danger of non-disclosure of the facts gathered and the conclusions drawn”[Proham press release]
The leaked copy now in our possession shows why ministers were so anxious to hide the information until after the election, since it proves in shocking detail how over the last 5 decades BN has violated the human rights of Malaysia’s native peoples, in favour of get rich quick schemes by large corporations, in which local politicians frequently have a personal financial interest.