PAKATAN Harapan’ “best chance” of wresting control of Sarawak will be at the 2021 state election, and enabling it to change the state’s native customary rights (NCR) land policy, said Baru Bian.

The Sarawak PKR chief said on the Bicara Politikonomi Bersama YB Baru Bian programme on RTM1 last night that he based his statement on the trend of last year’s 14^th general election and the last state election in 2016.

“In the 14th General Election, people thought we (PH) might not be able to defend our six seats, but we proved them wrong by winning 10 seats, plus two independents joined us,” said the Selangau MP.

Of the six seats PH held prior to the dissolution of Parliament, PKR had one (Miri) while DAP held five (Bandar Kuching, Kota Sentosa , Sarikei, Lanang and Sibu).

DAP did not win additional seat in GE14, but PKR won Puncak Borneo, Julau, Saratok and Baru’s Selangau. The independents who won Lubok Antu and Julau joined PKR after the election. All the seats PKR won are rural Dayak seats.

Theses result, Baru said, showed Sarawakians have accepted the party.

“A lot of people say PKR is a peninsula-based party, but to me, the most important thing is that we fight sincerely for the people.”

A leading land rights lawyer before his ministerial appointment, he said the only way improve the NCR land policy is to change the state government.

Baru opposed the amended Sarawak Land Code passed by the state assembly in July last year, saying it was “incomplete and half way”.
He said the amendments, which limits native land owners’ claims to their pemakai menoa (territorial domain) and pulau galau (communal forest reserve) to 1,000ha, had made them “lose” their land.

He said he had dealt with cases where claims were between 5,000 ha and 11,000 ha. – January 3, 2019.