Naroden the biggest taker of NCR land

KUCHING: Naroden bin Majais, assistant minister of planning and resource management, who denied that the government has never taken native customary rights land from the people, has now been identified as the biggest taker of native customary right land leased by the government in Simunjan.

“Naroden is a blatant liar to say that the government has never taken NCR land from the people, because he himself through eight companies is the biggest taker of NCR land,” said Nicholas Mujah, Secretary General of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association.

He was reacting to remarks by Naroden that the government has never taken NCR land from the people.

Mujah said: “In fact Naroden himself is among Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s cronies who have been given large areas of NCR land in and around Gedong and Simunjan for the planting oil palm.

“He is the one colluding with the companies,” he said, pointing out that according to the 2005 Report of Land and Survey Department, Naroden had shares in eight companies operating in Simunjan and Gedong areas.

Many of the people who become victims of this land grabbing are Ibans and Malays, some of them not only are his supporters, but also his relatives, he said.

Naroden is the state assemblyman for Simunjan.

According to the 2005 Reports of the Land and Survey Department, a total of 16,486 hectares of land, the bulk of it is NCR land has been given to the assistant minister’s companies, namely:

#1) Pelita Nirwana Muhibbah S/B given lease to develop 4,555 hectares of land at Tanjong Midin, Serian;

#2) Gedong Plantation S/B given lease to develop 3,770 hectares at Lot 2981, Batang Karang, Gedong;

#3) Gedong Plantation S/B given lease to develop 3480 hectares at Lot 2980, Gedong;

#4) Hydroflow S/B was given 2182 hectares at Lot 1226 at Batang Sadong;

#5) Hydroflow S/B was given 593 hectares at Lot 1227 at Lubuk Teba, Gedong;

#6) Indranika Jaya S/B was given 189 hectares at Lot 1228 at Tanjung Embang, Simunjan; and

#7) Indranika S/B was given 1717 hectares at Tanjung Sap, Simunjan.

Mujah said that some of the Malays in Gedong, some of them are his relatives are suing Melor Gemilang for taking away their land. Naroden is alleged to have shares in the company.

“These are what you know, but there are more companies you do not know,” said Mujah, who is also a member of the steering committee of Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Malaysian network of indigenous people).

He cited an example of Orang Asli where their lands have been taken by the previous government of Selangor; but after a Pakatan government took over, the government revoked the case of Sagong Tasi against Government and returned the land to the owners.

“I stand to be challenged in court to prove my point that Naroden has some shares in these companies,” Mujah said, and urged the assistant minister to revoke all the pending NCR land cases in the court in order to save people’s time, money and worry.

Mujah said that Naroden was reported to be the richest man in Simunjan because of the oil palm so much so that he is locally known as the “king of oil palm in Simunjan.”

“How can he tell lie when there are more than 200 court cases whereby the natives are suing the government for taking away their land?"

All these cases are still pending in court, he said.

Commenting on the same issue, Baru Bian, a prominent NCR lawyer said a thief will never admit he is a thief nor a robber will admit he is a robber.

“The 200 cases in court is a proof that the government has been issuing provisional lease and logging licences and other licences covering NCR land.

“Naroden is known to be associated with many companies with provisional leases for oil palm plantations and he is believed to be a nominee for Chief Minister, so I don’t expect him to admit that the government is taking away NCR land,” he said.