KUCHING: 16 local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attended a dialogue with the Sarawak Member of Parliaments (MPs) recently.
Selangau MP who is also Works Minister Baru Bian, Kelvin Yii (Bandar Kuching MP) and Michael Teo (Miri MP) were among those present.
Organised by Bersih Sarawak, this event aimed to create a platform for civil society organisations to introduce their areas of work as well as to lobby their issues, and agenda for reform with the MPs.
Each NGO presented their issues, agenda and demands for reforms in their respective area of work in Sarawak.
Among their target groups or mission field are the poor, women and children needing protection, people living with HIV, the marginalised, discriminated and Sarawakians in general.
“Needless to say among the commonly occurring themes for reform is the problem of statelessness and identity cards. Documented cases are also submitted to the MPs along with the proposals for reform.
“Stories of difficulties in accessing the National Registration Department (JPN) services are shared and nearly all concluded that accessing JPN services are often costly with the applicant having to make many trips, personality-dependent and no clear SOP and outcomes uncertain.
“Other areas of much needed reforms submitted by the NGOs include electoral reforms including the need for automatic voter registration as a method to deal with the approximately 500,000 eligible but yet unregistered Sarawakians before the next Sarawak state elections and political literacy and civic studies in schools; introduction of sexuality and gender education/studies which is age-appropriate into schools;
“As well as issues affecting indigenous peoples including identity card issues, and rights to NCR lands, including the adoption and implementation of SUHAKAM’s report of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples published in 2013,” explained Ann Teo the dialogue organising chairperson in a press statement yesterday.
The participants hoped that all the MPs will advance those key concerns which have been brought to them up in the Parliament or to the relevant ministries and agencies.
Arising from the dialogue, Teo added the groups will be looking at submitting their position papers or proposals to the MPs and relevant ministers in due course.
