Source: Borneo Sun Monday 29 August 1994
KUCHING:- Swiss activist Bruno Manser thinks he is Tarzan or
Rambo, Chief Minister Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud said
yesterday.
"He thinks that he is Tarzan or Rambo and that the state
government is hunting him down, using machine gun and helicopter
flying over the thick jungle in Baram," he said.
Taib said: "This is the kind of story that Manser was feeding the
western media and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)."
"The truth is the story is fictitious," he said at the launching
of a book entitled Bruno Manser - The Inside Story by New Straits
Times journalist James Ritchie here.
Taib said it is hard to believe Manser's story because it would
be impossible to see objects under the thick canopy from the air
and Malaysia does not have a law that impose death sentence on
outsider for overstaying in the country.
He said Manser is not concerned in seeing Penans progressing with
the rest of the ethnic communities in the country, but interested
to see them roaming in the jungles.
"They considered the Penans an endangered race," he said.
He said such kind of life will lead the Penans into extinction
if the state government adheres to what the western NGOs are
preaching.
"It is possible that the Penan community will face extinction,
and Manser knows this very well, because of the many possible
dangers in the jungles," he said.
Lack of proper food, sickness and their nomadic way of life are
among the dangers that can wipe out the Penans, he said.
"If that happens, the future generations will condemn the state
government for doing nothing to help the community. But why would
the government want to do nothing to help the community?" he
asked.
Taib said he realises that the Penans need to slowly adapt to
modern way of life and to be assimilated into the mainstream of
Malaysian society.
He said he has allocated 60,000 acres of jungle in the interior
of Baram for the Penans to roam about and to search for food
before they can lead a settled life.
Another programme, which the state government has introduced
several years ago, is to send Penan children to school in Lusong
Laku, where 13-year old Penans are in the same class with six
year olds, he said.
Taib stressed that improving the quality of life of the community
is more than ant other fundamentals.
"People like Manser and western NGOs are more interested to see
the Penans as museum and anthropological piece," he added.
Taib said if Manser really wants to help the Penans he should
submit a report and suggests how to help the community.
Earlier, Taib met 20 Penan community leaders at a closed door
meeting.
Note: The only worthy information here is the revelation by the
Chief Minister himself that 60,000 acres of jungle was allocated
for the Penan. Before this, the Federal Malaysian government has
always claimed that 600,000 acres of jungle has been allocated
for them. We should pressure next, the government to clarify the
status of these forests and their locations.
--- * Origin: Hornbill's system - sarawak@pactok.peg.apc.org (90:600/108)--