The Curious Incident of The Would Be Arsonist in Simunjan

By Jane Rubis

An on-the-ground account of the case of a “would-be arsonist” and the fight to save Sebangan rainforest. A man was arrested for arson, curiously, at the time the fire started he was some 400km away.

Mujah has a problem. He’s just been arrested along with six others on charges of mischief by fire. A logging camp in Simunjan has been burnt down and the headlines of the Sarawak print media are ablaze about how 2 million ringgit worth of logging equipment have gone up in smoke.

The curious problem is that when the fire started, Mujah was about 400 kilometers away, with me and two other colleagues, conducting fieldwork near a rural town called Daro, in the Mukah District.

The evening when the logging camp had been burnt down in a blaze of glory, Mujah, myself and two others were having drinks at Daro after a very hot day of fieldwork. I had introduced him to the local favourite dessert, “White Lady” (an icy concoction of lychee, corn, jelly) the day before, and Mujah was indulging himself with the charms of the ice cold Lady.

The hostels (all three) of Daro were packed with PBB (Barisan National Sarawak component party: Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu) delegates getting in their early rural politicking before the call of the upcoming state election, and Mujah had wandered off to the next table to say hello to a couple of his PBB friends that he had recognised.

I ended up finishing off his White Lady that was left unattended.

A couple of days later, he received a call from his wife, informing him that the police had been by his house, looking for him.

“They are looking for me, to help with their investigation”, he says in a typical unassuming Mujah kind-of-way.

The drive back to Kuching was very subdued. By then, we had already heard about the fire and that the police were looking for him and several others, including four Tuai Rumahs (longhouse chiefs) “to help with their investigation”. Three out of the four Tuai Rumahs were already arrested, along with another villager that day. Mujah was inundated with phone calls from friends and supporters who had heard what happened and were worried for him.

At one point, he said with exasperation, “Young people! They worry too much. They should be more brave.”

This relatively young person sat quietly in the back of Mujah’s clanker, wondering whether he was going to get arrested.

“Mujah, are you getting arrested?” I finally asked.

“Most likely,” replied Mujah in a calm manner.

“But you were not even there.”

“It doesn’t matter to them.”

The next day (Friday), I drove him to Simunjan, thinking that since I was his bona fide alibi, he would need me at some point in the police station.

I didn’t even get pass the gates.

Read more at: http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/green-world/the-curious-incident-of-the-would-be-arsonist-in-simunjan/