KUCHING, June 22 — Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian suggested today the fatal shooting of its Miri secretary Bill Kayong may be related to the latter’s fight to defend native customary rights (NCR).
He urged the state government to establish a land commission as previously proposed by the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, saying such a measure could prevent further violence and loss of life.
“Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum had proposed that a Land Commission be set up,” Baru told a press conference here after Kayong was gunned down by an unknown assailant in his hometown of Miri yesterday morning.
The 43-year-old father of two was a known champion of NCR issues, and as the secretary of Sarawak Dayak Association (Pedas), he had often fought for longhouse residents faced with land encroachment by timber and plantation companies.
“Kayong was involved in helping many longhouses having disputes over land with plantation and timber companies,” said Baru, a lawyer who is also Ba’Kelalan state lawmaker.
He claimed there were many oil palm and timber companies linked to Sarawak politicians.
Baru expressed his concern that Kayong’s murder could be another unresolved case in the Sarawak police files.
He said many assaults on longhouse chiefs, who are defending their NCR lands, have remained unsolved over the years.
“We are also extremely concerned at the level of violence that has crept into our society against opposition politicians and social activists,” he added.
He urged the police to look at Kayong’s activism, which have been widely shared on social media and reported in the press.
“Bill’s death may be linked to these two facets of his life,” Baru said.
“Threats against politicians, lawyers and activists are real, especially for those who speak up against land encroachment,” he added.
Kayong was well-known as the political secretary of PKR’s Miri federal lawmaker and branch chairman Dr Michael Teo and stood as a PKR candidate in Bekenu during the recent Sarawak elections.
Baru said last year, Dr Teo was assaulted and seriously injured in front of his office by an assailant, but the case was never solved and no one was brought to justice for the crime.
“A few years ago, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the compound of PKR’s Batu Lintang state lawmaker See Chee How’s house by an unknown thug.
Baru said Kayong had received calls warning him not to get involved in land cases, adding that PKR lawyer Abun Sui and he personally had also received similar calls.
