KUCHING, Jan 11 — Some 400 Bumiputera community leaders from the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Malay and Melanau communities in Sarawak will be attending a seminar on the issue of pulau galau (territorial domain) and pemakai menoa (communal forest reserve) (PGPM) to be held here from January 23 to 25.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the PGPM task force committee chairman, said the seminar is a prelude to the tabling of the State Land Code amendment during the State Legislative Assembly sitting in May.
“At the seminar we are expecting that we will finally get a right definition of pemakai menoa and pulau galau agreed to by all community leaders.
“We need to agree to the definition that we want to present to the government and at the seminar all communities will come up with what each community perceives to be pemakai menoa and pulau galau and then will sit down to discuss what is the most appropriate definition to be presented to the government,” he said.
Uggah was speaking to reporters after paying his last respects to former Sarawak cabinet member, the late Tan Sri Celestine Ujang Jilan at his residence at Jalan Urat Mata, Tabuan Jaya here today.
Ujang, 70, passed away at a private hospital here last night after a long illness.
While the state attorney general was finalising the details of amendment to the land code, Uggah said the task force committee and community heads were looking at the definition of pemakai menoa and pulau galau.
“We cannot run from criticisms…life is like that and I think we, in the government, must be prepared to listen to all views.
“Let us look for the best solution. Some people think of the other way but most important is for us to do our job and work or target for the betterment of the community,” he added. — Bernama
