Friday, June 26

100 families against DD Plantations developing their land

A 64-year old grandmother, Daha Ak Penghulu Nunsang has been having sleepless nights since 29 April 2009, the day when DD plantations and Pelita holding announced that they had signed agreement with 94 longhouse chiefs to develop some 9,629 hectares of land in the Kpg. Samalatong/Kpg. Isu/Kpg. Kepayang area.

The wife of the late school teacher Adun anak Buang, Daha is not the only one worried, as there are over 100 families from six longhouses having the same worry – that their lands have been signed away by a few community leaders to DD plantations for the planting of oil palm without their knowledge and agreement.

What makes Daha very angry is that Temenggong Anthony Ngipa, the leader who signs the people’s land with DD plantations is her brother-in-law, who is married to her younger sister.

It is understood Daha confronted Temenggong Anthony and asked him why did he want to “sell” their land to DD Plantations? She asked him to go back to his own village at Sebangan and not to speak on their behalf regarding their land.

“You have no right to sell our land,” she was reported to have told him in front of so many people.

There are five or six persons believed to be involved in this scheme whose real aim is targeting the communal forests behind the longhouses. These communal forests are part of the NCR land as decided by the Federal Court. Any one taking away these communal forests is committing a serious offence against the interests of the natives.

Colluding with Temenggong Anthony are Tuai Sebeli of Kpg. Sibau Rumbau, Tuai Rumah Najib of Kpg. Samalatong (Melayu), Pemanca Muit and Tuai Rumah Uja, both of Kpg. Kepayang.

They are not only PBB members, but the “kaki” (side kicks) of YB Naroden, the state assemblyman for Simunjan who is allegedly owned DD Plantations together with a Chinaman from Sebauh, Bintulu. Naroden is known in Simunjan as the local “oil palm king” owning several companies to plant some 50,000 acres of land, the bulk of which is NCR land.

Temenggong Anthony, a retired teacher, is ardent supporter of Naroden who appointed him as a councillor for Simunjan and when a vacancy existed for a Penghulu, he was also appointed a penghulu at the same time. After three years or so as a Penghulu, he is now promoted to be the Temenggong.

Daha has approached a lawyer to write to Pelita and DD Plantations that she did not want her land in 10 places totaling some 100 acres to be developed by them, and if they persisted of getting her land she would sue them in court. The strongly worded letter was copied to her brother-in-law.

Meanwhile, six Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) had sent a joint letter to the minister of land development, Dr. James Masing and the chairman of the NCR land development task force, Alfred Jabu ak Numpang, saying that they did not want their land to be developed by DD Plantations and Pelita.

A copy of the letter was sent to SALCRA general manager, Vasco Sabat Singkang inviting him to have a dialogue with them in order to open their land for oil palm cultivation.

The six Tuai Rumahs represent some 100 families owning some 2,000 hectares of NCR land. There are other longhouse folks from Keniong, Sangkalan, Munggu Ai, Gayau and Kepayang who refuse to surrender their land to DD Plantations.

All these longhouse chiefs are watching the DD Plantations and Pelita closely before making further moves including holding demonstrations and bringing them to court. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

7 comments:

Royal Aup said...

idup BN..idup BN..rampas ajak tanah dayak especially iban..lak ka dudi ari sidak iya nadai tanah lalu bekuli ba tanah diri empu sampai ke peturun anak ucuk icit wit...ENTI BRANI SERTA BERDARAH DAYAK IBAN DALAM TUBUH KITAK..UNDI PEMBANGKANG NEXT ELECTION..

Apai Semalau said...

"Tuai Rumah, Penghulus. Pemancas, and Temengongs" are the beasts of the past. We have no place for them in this time of modern development! We can do away with them since the majority of them don't have their "anakbiaks" interests at heart when they decide on matters that concern their very livelihood. Community interest above self interest is no longer their ethos!
We ibans, need to be proactive. We need to be involved in all decision making especially when it involves our NCR motherland. We can no longer depend on our tuai rumahs. Instead "rumahpanjai" should be managed by a committee elected by fellow dwellers when gets to elect a head/leader every year. This is their democratic rights and it will ensure that we make collective decisions for our community and for their benefits. Time to change our mind set and appoint a committee to run the affairs of rumahpanjai! This will ensure that the fangs of self interests "Tuai Rumah, Penghulus. Pemancas, and Temengongs" are rendered useless. Only than will sleepless nights be a thing of the past for many.

Agom said...

As alleged,Mohd Naroden Majais, an Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister`s Department, owns thousands of acres oil palm plantations in Simunjan district, thus the people there called him ` The King of Oil Palm ` Indeed he is a very rich Assistant Minister, because it would cost about RM4,000 to RM5,000 to develop an acre of land for oil palm and if he has about 50,000 acres of oil palm plantations, it means that he has to spend RM20 million to RM25 million.

If the oil palm plantations are on NCL/NCL, we hope that Mohd Naroden invited the land owners to develop their NCL/NCR through joint-ventures and enjoy 30 per cent equity.

Mohd Naroden is also holding two portfolios, an Assistant Minister of Planning and Resource Management and as Assistant Land Development Minister. The public perception is whether Mohd Naroden acquired NCL/NCR to develop his oil palm plantations were by legal means or since he is an Assistant Land Development Minister, he could influence LCDA and Land and Survey Department to get leases and licences, thus abused his power?

Anonymous said...

I agreed with Apai Semalau, "rumahpanjai" should be managed by committee elected by fellow dwellers. We all know that in reality most tuai rumah, pengulus, pemancas, & temengongs are the "talibarut" of certain people....those nuts are no longer relevent...

Tubairabut... said...

It's worth acknowledged that the TR (Tuai Rumah)is elected / agreed upon by his "anakbiaks" of his longhouse or such a position to be likely inherited by any immediate family members where "situations" deem fit.
Sharing purposes....
Albeit meeting all criterias & being elected, our TR's post is still pending YB's approval till this very day despite has been duly endorsed by local authorities.

His "Pemakai Menua" remains untouched by the so-called Oil Palm plantation activities -thus a "yoke" area, where the sorrounding villages (NCR)lands either under Salcra, Pelita, or Kumpulan Sama Sdn Bhd oil palm plantation companies.
Hopefully he stands firm to defend his people in whatever angles necessary. And more so...diligently taking all precautionary measures as far as "Politic of Development" is concerned to wholeheartedly safeguard NCR lands of our late forefathers, no matter whether there's community leaders that tend to stand for greed in the opposite directions.

Anonymous said...

amat endar ko nuan nya royal aup-anang enda ngundi bn bepilih ila awak ke tanah kitai abis lalu nyadi setingan ba tanah diri empu,kasih wai wai-lalu enda nemu reti jako penulah-noroden ngambi tanah abis enda tulah,makin gemu keba tang kitai iban ti dah nerima rm10 maia bepilih engai enda ngundi perintah engai ke tulah. tulah apa. enda badu paloi.

Anonymous said...

Tabung Haji mau beli estate ini...
Abih la Tabung Haji