VILLAGERS ARE NOW ASKING WHY THEIR APPLICATION FOR THE LAND, MADE IN 1992, HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED WHILE ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR THE SAME LAND, MADE IN 1997, WAS GIVEN THE APPROVAL.

Residents Want Probe Into Land Snatch Claim

BELURAN, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- A group of 22 residents of Kampung Ulu Tongod here are in a dilemma after finding out that the 24 hectares of land they occupied since 1970 and planted with oil palm since 1995 is now belong to an individual.

The villagers, who had been relying on the oil palm plantation for income since the past eight years, are now asking why their application for the land, made in 1992, had not been approved while another application for the same land, made in 1997, was given the approval.

Geriting Garudam, who represents the residents, said the individual concerned was given 18 hectares of the land.

"Why is it that the application, made much later that the one submitted by us, was entertained?" he told Bernama after meeting Beluran MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee, who is also the Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

He claimed that the new owner of the land had sold it to a private company.

Meanwhile, Kiandee urged the Land and Survey Department to review the approval and carry out investigations if there was any abuse in the process.