VILLAGERS SETS TIMBER COMPANY QUARTERS ABLAZE OVER ANCESTRAL LAND

Villagers set workers quarters ablaze

Keningau Jan 06, 2012: Fed-up that their 10-year-old problem has yet to be resolved, about 50 villagers of Kg Alab in Sook took matters into their own hands by burning two timber camps belonging to Bornion Timber company on Wednesday.

They then lodged a report the following day, among other things accusing the company of bulldozing their ancestral burial grounds.

They were accompanied by local opposition leaders from both PKR and PAS.

They claimed more than 10,000 acres around the village had been invaded by the company, which included rubber plantations, vegetable, rice and other crops.

"We feel our culture (adat) is ridiculed by the company's arbitrary violation of our heritage of land from our ancestors.

"A total of 638 people in this village are now faced with the danger that our native land will be confiscated, we have no other way to defend what we have," they said.

JKKK Chairman, Eble Duai, said the villagers would not mind if they were given the kind of benefits that Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) gave to other villagers. "But in our case, we can only watch the company reap huge profits while we locals get nothing."

The problem apparently began with the award of thousands of acres of timber land to Bornion under the FMU (Forest Management Unit) scheme some years ago.

"We sent eight letters to the Land and Survey Department and the Chief Minister and four police reports were made. Until today we are made to look like illegal occupants in what is supposed to be our ancestral land."

According to the "leader" of the NCR land claim, Rumanis Amil, although the State Government had excised 400 acres from the FMU land to them, it is not enough.

 "There are 600 of us. We want 10,000 acres."

Accompanying Rumanis at the impromptu press conference were his deputy, Pairin Sungion and former village head Ulin Amil.

They claimed timber was being felled according to the company's whims and fancies. "We want the Chief Minister to immediately step in," they said.

Pensiangan MP Tan Sri Joseph Kurup also urged the villagers not to take the law into their own hands. He promised he would look into the matter.

Keningau OCPD, DSP Zahari Mohamed also urged the villagers to calm down, adding that things can be sorted out amicably.

"We understand the needs of the villagers to defend their rights and their land in order to protect their interests in the area, but aggression is not the path that should be used by any party," he said.

He said claims by some that police intervene only in civil matters are not accurate because the police will only intervene in any case if it involves safety.

"Our role is clear where the police will not hesitate to intervene in all cases involving the people's safety, especially when it is closely associated with criminal acts.

"If there is behaviours that threatens the peace in an area as well as endangers the safety of any individuals, regardless of whether it is triggered by any party, we will intervene," he said.

All the 50 villagers were brought in for the purpose of recording their statement after the programme ended.

Pensiangan PKR leader Hj Masmin Kadad said a report had been made to the Malaysian Corruption Prevention Commission (SPRM) but so far there seems to be no action taken. He urged the Prime Minister to also step in.

Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman visited the area late last year to officiate a rubber planting scheme and gave out Communal Titles.

Although the Government has altogether excised 3,000 acres from FMU land in Kemabong, Sook and Nabawan, some villagers are still not satisfied as they claimed that most of the land were given to SLDB for joint-venture and not directly to the villagers.

The company claimed it resulted in a loss of RM35,000. No injury or loss of life was reported.

According to some villagers, tensions arose after the logging company entered the customary land areas of the villagers and destroyed their crops despite having obstacles erected by the community leaders in the area.