15 May 2024

15/05/2024 49 min
15 May 2024

Listen "15 May 2024"

Episode Synopsis

On Today Show
— Gereng Jadum, Penan from the resettlement area of Metalun/Murum – The Struggles of Penan Communities in Metalun: Nine Years of Neglect
— Barnie Lasimbang, Founder of Tonibung, environmental activist – Three Years of Effort Culminate in Kuamut Rainforest Project Certification
— Richard Engan, Social and Political Activist from Baram – Dayak Voices Against Online Bumiputra Status Application

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Gereng Jadum, Penan from the resettlement area of Metalun/Murum
*The Struggles of Penan Communities in Metalun: Nine Years of Neglect*
In the current session of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, the Sarawak State Assemblyman for the Murum area, Kennedy Chukpai Ugon, proposed to the Sarawak government to establish a special task force to address the issues faced by residents in the resettlement areas of Bakun and Murum. According to Chukpai, the problems faced by the resettled residents due to the construction of the dams need to be resolved immediately. Gereng Jadum, who lives in the Metalun-Murum resettlement area, welcomed this proposal and hopes their issues will be addressed promptly. He has frequently spoken on Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) to highlight the problems they are facing, including employment issues, road problems, clean water supply, and the fact that they were not given land for agriculture.
Gereng Jadum reported that the Penan children in Metalun had not attended school for two weeks. For the past nine years, SK Metalun has been operating in temporary buildings left behind by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), and the teaching and learning process has not been proceeding as hoped. The children are not being taught as they should be; instead, every day in the classroom, cartoons are shown for their entertainment. The 12 teachers do not enter the classroom and do not teach the children. Therefore, the community protested and refused to send their children to school.
Children who stay in the hostel—only students from grades 4 to 6 are given food, while grades 1 to 3 are not given food, with the excuse of insufficient funds. The community had been paid a car rental allowance to send their children to school, but now the allowance is delayed by 2 to 3 months. These are the problems they are facing. The new SK Metalun school under construction is only 70% complete. In their opinion, this school should have been built simultaneously with their relocation nine years ago. They have lodged complaints and met with the District Education Officer, who promised to resolve their issues. They are waiting for the resolution. Children who have continued their education in secondary school almost all fail to master their studies because they lack a strong foundation in primary school.
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