Monday, August 8

The angry gods?

Dr. Elie Luhat, chairman of the Bakun Community Security committee, said that the people in Belaga attributed the deaths of 10 persons in and around Bakun dam were due to the fact that the state authorities failed to pay compensation amounting to more than RM2 million for their ancestral lands and their graves which have been submerged under water.

“The money is needed by the local people to appease gods after the jungle, ancestral lands and graves have been submerged.

“We need to offer some offerings so that the gods do not angry,”
he said. But the money has never been paid. As a result the ‘miring’ has not been performed.

Thus the spirits of the jungle and the spirits of the dead must be angry and curse those who do not respect them (spirits).

Adat (culture) is Adat. The government must respect the people’s Adat and belief whether they like it or not; or whether they share their belief or not.

And for James Masing, Land Development Minister urging the people not to believe that the deaths were due to the curse by the spirits was uncalled for, said a retired Police officer.

Masing said that the health department had confirmed that the deaths were due to melioidosis and leptospirosis and should not any way link to any spiritual belief.

“I believe that many of the Orang Ulu in the area are educated and should not believe the story,” Masing said.

“Let me remind Masing that his people of Baleh did perform ‘miring’ in December last year after the occurrence of logjam. I heard 14 pigs were slaughtered as ingredients of the offering (piring), with seven dead pigs were placed at each of the river banks. The people in the area should not pass the place within three days. That is Adat.

“These offerings were to appease gods or spirits after timber companies destroyed the jungle in Ulu Baleh and its tributaries. Because of this, landslides occurred causing logjam spreading from Kapit right up to Sibu. People lost their sources of income. Tonnes of fish of various species died due to suffocation,”
said the ex-officer.

More than RM100,000 was spent on the ceremony.

Is it not strange for Masing to comment on a speck on someone else’s eye, when a big log is found in his own eye?

Like Dr. Elie, Masing is also a PhD holder, so the question of so many Orang Ulu in the area being educated and should not believe stories on spirits do not rise, said the officer.


Banting said...

According to Len Talif Salleh who is State Forestry Department director the massive logjam along Rajang river last year was caused by the concentration of rains within a short period. Len pointed to changing rain patterns as the main culprit.

However, James Masing believed that the reason behind the logjam was the wrath of the gods and he agreed with the people in Baleh, his constituency that the main culprit were the loggers who had caused too much noise with tractors and heavy machinery and disturbed the house of gods, because our gods became furious and shook the forest which was the result of the devastation.

But when Bakun folk believed the mysterious deaths of the people in the area was as a result of angry gods of the area and spirits of their ancestors, James Masing disagreed and he pointed out that the deaths had nothing to do with angry spirits.

When some NGOs believed that the indigenous population affected by Bakun HEP have been asked to sacrifice their entire natural and cultural heritage in the name of development, James Masing commented that " What we we have today is the product of many leading brains in the business of building dams around the world as I was involved in the development of the dam since 1982".

The issue here is, why does Masing has different opinions over the causes of the two incidents in Kapit? For mysterious deaths in Bakun he believes in science theory, but for the logjam he is superstitious even though he is a Christian, I believe.

Apai irau said...

Still want to trust Masing?This fella was made a minister by PBDS and got his Datukship at PBDS recommendation,but what has he done to PBDS later? He killed not only the few good Dayak leaders in the party but KILLED the party that fed him all the years too.He is only good at politicking,at the expense of the Ibans of course,being used by Taib to kill a genuine political party and the few good Dayak leaders and that is WHY he was loved by Taib all those years.Putting aside the issue of Spirits and science a while here,WHY WERE THE RM.2 MILLION STILL NOT PAID TO THE NATIVES AT BAKUN TILL TODAY? WHERE IS JAMES MASING? DON'T CALL YOURSELF A DAYAK LEADER IF YOU CAN'T FIGHT FOR THE DAYAKS.Shiiiiiiitt.

faith-full said...

Masing must declare the source of fund for his "appeasing the god" (deviation) project during the logjam scandal.

If the fund were from timber companies, spell them out correctly. (actual amount donated and spent)

And if the fund came from the government, masing must declare truthfully which warrant head was it authorised and by whom. This is necessary as the fund for a logjam probably is the 1st case in modern time and the authority can "create" such heads for future use.

unsure said...

Is he not the same (hungary)angry ghost licenced to transfer all the Ikan empurau from tarat agro-culture station to a VIP's mansion not far from King Centre Kuching??

Reliably learnt that the VIP is running a nursery for empurau breeding at his mansion.

But pules pretend to look elsewhere and maybe arrange for one indon to "congface". Case closed!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Apai Irau, you're absolutely correct J.Masing is double-headed snake, a politician with no principle only greedy for power.After the last election he said PRS is the 2nd biggest party and confidently hope to be one of DCM, no way. In the past all Minister of Land are automatic become Chairman of SALCRA but now who?? crazy fella.

Anonymous said...

Ila antu kok lir makai pelir sida ke nipu rakyat,makai duit rakyat,ngemula ka rakyat,orang ke takut ka batang rarat.terubah ia burut udah nya pelir lesap laban di insap antu kok lir.Eeeeee waiiiiiii.

Tuyang said...

Billy lover boy, i guess you have been a BN man too deep far too long so much so that you seem out of touch with the ground.

Orang Ulus as you are aware are very patient and simple people who believes in the Maran and bla bla bla. The fact that they decided to go to the press instead of you seems to suggest that your credibility is highly suspect (may be)through lessons learnt.

Do not feel offended and over surprised by their actions. The Bakun experience has made them more matured.

Do not beat round the bush. To get them to start with the Muzium is a "delaying" tactic. Just instruct the individual (s) who took the money to surrender it to them. Habis cerita.