GE14 | The Selangau parliamentary seat is certainly attracting a lot of attention in the 14th general election (GE14).

The stage has been set for a great battle between two lawyers, Rita Sarimah Insol, 57, from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), a state BN component party and Baru Bian whose claim to fame is his many court cases involving native customary rights (NCR) land and his struggle to safeguard Dayak and state rights.

Baru, 59, the assemblyperson for Ba’ Kelalan, is also the state PKR chief. He is testing his limits, a Lun Bawang (of the Orang Ulu community) from the highlands of Lawas, in Limbang Division, venturing to conquer this Iban majority seat.

Selangau, some 74 kilometres from Sibu, comprises the state constituencies of Tamin and Kakus (roughly the size of Pahang), both under PRS.

Its last three-term MP Joseph Entulu was PRS deputy president but was sacked on April 15 for flouting party discipline.

Baru said he was invited by local PKR leaders to go into Selangau. It is estimated that there are over 300 court cases still pending trial statewide and the lion's share is this rural constituency.

PRS president Dr James Jemut Masing fired the first salvo when he said Baru would not fare well in Selangau where 96 percent of its 30,026 registered voters are Iban.

"Being an outsider, he does not speak Iban, will not know local problems and expectations let alone the folks. But he is welcome to contest," he said.

Majang Renggi, a PRS supreme council member and assemblyperson from neighbouring Samalaju state seat told Bernama that Baru and PKR would basically stir up two lifeline issues.

"First is the recent dismissal of Entulu and an aide Andriana Chumang Nyabong. Their supporters angered by the dismissal may want to seek revenge by supporting Baru. We must bear in mind here that Entulu had been its three-term incumbent. Secondly, Baru must be attracted by the many court cases involving NCR land issues here. He, after all, is a brand name when it comes to the issues and has and is representing many of the complainants," he said.

Majang added religion to a certain extent may impact the outcome as Baru is a respected preacher of the Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) or Borneo Evangelical Mission Christian denomination. There are around 700 faithful in Kakus area.

On its neutralisation plans, another PRS supreme council member, and Pelagus assemblyperson Wilson Nyabong said the party would seek to heal the pains among Entulu's supporters and woo them to back the BN as, after all, they have been always its strong supporters.

Entulu won the GE13 with a 7,555 vote majority against two challengers including one from the PKR.

"On NCR land, we will invite experts to join our ceramah on the ground to explain to the people that the state government has its own initiatives to solve their non-recognition/ownership issues.

"For instance, the amendments to the state Land Code will be tabled at the august house in its coming July sitting.

"The amendments, the combined result of painstaking deliberation among Dayak professionals and experts and the government, will give better definition and recognition of two important components of the NCR land like the "pemakai menoa" (communal reserve) and "pulau galau" (territorial domain)," he said.

For Rita, the last 14 months had been an exhausting but rewarding initiation rite of sorts when she and her husband embarked on her familiarisation visits to as many of the about 800 longhouses in Selangau.

"We would set out at 4.30am or 5am. Although tired, we are very happy with the warm welcome and assurance given. We really feel inspired with the pledges from the people where they say they will support me as long as I am from the BN. I hope they will remember their pledges come May 9.

"I may be a political greenhorn but after my visits, I have realised how important it is to be able to serve the people well. You do not have to be a Datuk or in other lofty position to do so. You must have the heart and the commitment," she said.

Rita was Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad legal advisor before retiring five years ago. Earlier on, that she was a magistrate for five years.

Her husband Timothy Gima is from Rumah William Bansa in Dijih here, they have three children who are a doctor, a pharmacist and a dentist.

Rita said she started honing her leadership skill as chairperson of the Bintulu branch of the Sarawak Dayak Women Federation (Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak or SIDS), a post she held for 17 years. Now she is the deputy president of the Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) which encourages Dayak landowners to become oil palm smallholders.

The battle for Selangau will indeed be a litmus test whether the people will vouch for only litigations on NCR land issues or they will rationalise with the government with its amendments to the Land Code.

It sets to be the ‘mother of all battles’ in the state where NCR land issues arguments and counter-arguments will be articulated intelligently and will be the loudest.

-- Bernama