Govt robbing landowners only a myth – Naroden

TEBEDU: Every single inch of the people’s land which are acquired by the government for development purposes will be compensated accordingly, assured assistant minister in the chief minister’s department Mohd Naroden Majais.

He said stories about the government robbing the people’s land, as claimed by the opposition during the recent state election, was only a myth.

“The government’s policy is clear. All land acquired for any projects will be compensated. Every single inch will be paid for, even when the projects were implemented for the benefit of the landowners themselves,” he said.

Naroden was speaking at the presentation of land compensation to 100 landowners from Kpg. Kujang Mawang, Kpg. Sain and Kpg. Kujang Plaman at the Dewan here on 23 May.

He said the compensation money amounting to RM508,667 was for the residents from the three villages whose lands were affected by the UPGRADING OF ROADS TO THE THREE VILLAGES.

COMMENT: We fully agree with Naroden that any NCR land affected by development for public purposes such as roads is certain to be compensated just like the above land.

Why did Naroden fail to mention the case of 500 Bidayuh NCR land owners from 10 villages in Tebedu whose lands were destroyed and occupied by a timber company after the forest department which is under Naroden’s ministry were not compensated?

The Bidayuhs were angry when those in authorities like Naroden, Michael Manyin, Richard Riot and the police failed to solve their problems.

Several reports have been made to the authorities until their patience ran out that was when they torched the logging camps and heavy machinery and lorries. The loss was estimated to be RM5 million.

Did the government ‘rob’ their NCR land and give it the company which has connection with the state government?

What will be Naroden’s comment on this?

Villagers torched machinery

Photo: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=128722

KUCHING: About 500 villagers from 10 Bidayuh villages in Tebedu on Sunday 8 May burnt seven heavy machinery, four lorries and five logging camps after their elected representative Michael Manyin and the Police failed to look into their complaints.

The value of the destroyed properties believed to be worth several millions of ringgit.

Last month they met Manyin and lodged a number of Police reports regarding a certain timber company allegedly encroached into their native customary rights land.

Instead of peacefully settling the issue, Manyin who was recently elected as the representative of Tebedu said that when the problem was reported to him he was told that the villagers initially rejected their land being used for road construction.

According to Manyin, when the company offered them lucrative compensation, the villagers agreed and the only ‘trouble makers’ were the ones whose land was not affected.

He said: “They were not part of the group that received RM40 per square metre compensation for land affected to build the timber road, and they demonstrated by blocking the access road.

“They also destroyed a timber bridge,” he said.

But Manyin’s statement was hotly disputed by Bisa Duda, a spokesman of the villagers who demanded Manyin to apologise to them.

His statement that they were not offered the lucrative compensation was considered by the villagers as “insulting and embarrassing”.

Bisa said that the villagers were not interested in the compensation as they do not want the company to encroach into their NCR land.

“We are not after the money. We do not want the company to use our land and the jungle in our area as these are our ancestral properties,” Bisa said.

He accused Manyin of telling lies as the villagers never agreed to and allowed their land to be used for the construction of the timber road.

In Yesterday’s incident, the villagers went to the camp at about 10 am and torched seven machinery, four lorries and five workers’ camps.

The Police who also arrived at the scene could not do anything as they were not only outnumbered, but the villagers were emotional and angry.

When contacted today, one of the leaders who did not want to be identified said that they had to take the law into their own hands as their elected representative and the authorities failed to safeguard their interests.

They had failed to stop the logging activities and the villagers could not tolerate it any more.
“We have made several reports to the authorities and yet the logging activities still continue,” he said, pointing out that their crops, fruit trees and their land have been destroyed.

He also said that they had warned the workers to stop the logging activities, but they simply ignored their warning.

“We give them ample time, and when they fail to adhere to our warning, we have to take action. We have to burn down their camps and machinery.

“We really mean business,” he said.

Serian Police Chief ASP Awangku Ahmaddin Awang Wang who was present at the scene was not available for comment.

It is not certain whether anyone has been arrested.

Granda Aing slams Manyin for “stupid” statement

KUCHING: A leader of Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat has described as most “stupid and senseless” a suggestion by a state minister who wants the Bidayuhs to move to town even if they are paid lowly.

A PKR vice chairman Granda Aing said that by asking them to move out of their villages “is tantamount to putting the general Bidayuhs to become coolies, waiters and waitress earning a salary below the poverty line.”

Aing, a Bidayuh from Bau, was reacting to a statement made by Michael Manyin, State minister of infrastructure development and communication.

Last Tuesday Manyin, who addressed Kampung Krusen Bidayuhs, told them to leave their villages and go to towns for jobs in the towns in order to improve their livelihood.

“If they are unwilling to do so, they may be left far behind by other communities.

“Even if they have to struggle now it does not matter as it would provide their children the right exposure to improve themselves in the future,” Manyin had said, citing the Kelabits from the Bario Highlands as the best example.

“That is the most stupid advice coming from a minister,” said Aing.

What the government should have done is to increase the wages of the Bidayuh workers in Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) from RM8.00 or RM10.00 per day per worker to RM30.00 per day in its oil palm plantations.

“Why can’t you pay Bidayuhs RM30.00 per person when you pay Indonesian workers RM30.00 each?” he asked.

“That does not make sense. Does it?” Aing asked, pointing out that the government must look and revamp Salcra.

He warns: “If you leave your villages, the State government will take away your native customary rights land and lease it to its cronies for the planting of oil palm.

“By the time you return home, you have no more land left. I think the minister has been asked to say it, because lands in the Bidayuh villages are good for the oil palm cultivation,” he said.

The minister should not compare the Bidayuhs with the Kelabits, as most Bidayuh villages are nearby to towns, while the Kelabits a far away in the highlands.

“What the minister should have done is to get more roads and basic amenities implemented in the rural areas.

“Help them to plant cash crops in their land so that they can generate more incomes in order to sustain their life in the villages,” he said.

What Granda Aing said is correct. Look at some of the Iban small holders involved in the planting of oil palm. Many are earning between RM3,000 and RM10,000 a month. There are many examples of these successful farmers along the Serian/Sarikei Road. And their incomes much are better than those who allowed their land to be used by Pelita and other private companies. Some have not been paid any dividends even after 10 years of operation.

SALCRA is still better than all these Pelita-linked companies. But still compared to small holdings whereby you plant oil palm in your own land, and do it yourself the income is much better than the income of those who joined Salcra.

Food for thought. – The Broken Shield