Land Development Minister James Masing (pic above) has taken over the chairmanship of Sarawak Task Force for NCR Land Development from Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Anak Numpang effective today (2 April 2010).
Although Jabu’s supporters said he resigned from the chairmanship, it is understood, however that he has been relieved of the post.
Possible Reasons:
(a) Jabu has been the chairman of the task force since the state government started to have keen interest to venture into oil palm in the 1990s. Under his chairmanship, hundreds of provisional leases have been given to big companies to develop land including native customary rights land without the consent of the land owners. Disputes arise, therefore, between the land owners and the companies. There are now more than 200 cases of land owners suing the government and companies. So far land owners have won more than 20 cases.
(b) For the last two years, the task force seldom met, resulting in about 30 or more applications to plant oil palm have been left unattended. Some who are fed-up of waiting have withdrawn their applications. Masing did complain that the delay in approving the applications have stalled the development of oil palm in the State which has targeted one million hectares by this year.
(c) By right, Masing should be the chairman of the task force by virtue of the fact that he is the Minister for Land Development.
Although Jabu’s supporters said he resigned from the chairmanship, it is understood, however that he has been relieved of the post.
Possible Reasons:
(a) Jabu has been the chairman of the task force since the state government started to have keen interest to venture into oil palm in the 1990s. Under his chairmanship, hundreds of provisional leases have been given to big companies to develop land including native customary rights land without the consent of the land owners. Disputes arise, therefore, between the land owners and the companies. There are now more than 200 cases of land owners suing the government and companies. So far land owners have won more than 20 cases.
(b) For the last two years, the task force seldom met, resulting in about 30 or more applications to plant oil palm have been left unattended. Some who are fed-up of waiting have withdrawn their applications. Masing did complain that the delay in approving the applications have stalled the development of oil palm in the State which has targeted one million hectares by this year.
(c) By right, Masing should be the chairman of the task force by virtue of the fact that he is the Minister for Land Development.
It is the hope of the land owners:
(i) that Masing should have better understanding of the plight and the concerns of the land owners. If the land owners do not want their land to be planted with oil palm, they should be left alone; if they want their land to be under joint venture scheme, then by all means bring them in. In this way, Masing can help minimize disputes between land owners and Pelita and companies.
(ii) that Masing should make sure the companies after receiving their provisional lease (PLs) do not bulldoze their way into people’s farms, destroying all the fruit trees, rubber trees, cash crops and sometimes their longhouses and farm huts.
(iii) that Masing should make sure that in the joint venture scheme, land owners be represented in the board of directors. Currently, the land owners are not represented in the board. LCDA or Pelita suppose to look after the land owners’ interest, but Pelita is like pagar “harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi.”
(iv) that Masing should also encourage NCR land owners to plant oil palm on a smallholding basis on their land very much like Rubber Planting Scheme A in the 1970s. Under this scheme, agricultural implements, fertilizers and subsidies were given to the smallholders. It has been noted that under smallholding the land owners benefit more than those who participated in JV or even under SALCRA. Every morning they earn between RM500 and RM1,500 a day as compared to dividends of RM300, RM500 or RM1000 per year. Very much different in term money earned.
Something for all of us to ponder! – The Broken Shield
Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com
