Ali asks for win-win solution for owners of land taken by govt
KUCHING: The state government has been asked to find a win-win solution for the several Iban folks from Engkudu concerning their native customary rights ( NCR) compensation at the ‘ mulong’ or ‘ rumbia’ plantation area in Lemachang, Sg Sebetan Hilir.
Ali Biju ( PKR- Krian) said according to the landowners there, their ancestor by the name of Liang Entalang together with the original Engkudu longhouse folks and ‘ tuai rumah’ Entika Sumbang had been staying and growing ‘ mulong’ plantation in the area.
“Permission letter was given by the Sarawak State Government represented by then Simanggang Resident Edward Jerah in 1920, almost 100 years ago. Since that day, the descendents of Liang Entalang together with the Engkudu longhouse folks explored and farmed in the area and along Sg Sebetan according to Iban tradition without any obstruction by any parties.
“Moreover, the Engkudu folks have close relation with the nearby village that is Kpg Kupang since last time until now,” he said when debating on the Yang di-Pertua Negeri’s address during the DUN sitting yesterday.
Aware of the need of the Kpg Kupang folks for a new area of land for the extension of their village, Ali said the state government had declared the ‘mulong’ plantation area in Lemachang with an area of 64.2 hectares as government village reserve that was identified as Lot 5, Block 11, Awik- Krian land District on May 21, 1987.
“During the land acquisition process through Gazette No. 2538, the original folks from Engkudu who had already acquired their NCR rights were totally in the dark.
“There was no consultation or meeting organised between the Land and Survey Department and the folks.
“They were only aware of the matter when they were prohibited from clearing their land in the area. As soon as they were aware that their area that was planted with ‘rumbia’ had been gazetted as government village reserve, the Engkudu longhouse folks immediately took action to claim for compensation for the loss of their ‘ rumbia’ plantations that were chopped off without their knowledge and also compensation on their NCR lands from the Land and Survey Department since 1994.”
However, Ali said their claims were not entertained.
“Considering that the land
Permission letter was given by the Sarawak State Government represented by then Simanggang Resident Edward Jerah in 1920, almost 100 years ago. Since that day, the descendents of Liang Entalang together with the Engkudu longhouse folks explored and farmed in the area and along Sg Sebetan according to Iban tradition without any obstruction by any parties. Ali Biju, PKR-Krian
owner had received compensation from the government when the bund was built under Sebetan 1 Drainage Scheme, therefore, they have the right and must be compensated when the remaining land was taken for the extension of Kpg Kupang.”
He noted that the previous Saratok MP had appealed to the Chief Minister in 2004 to intervene to resolve this issue, adding that until now, there had not been any proposal or solution from the state government.
Ali said the land owners would like to stress that they were not against the Kpg Kupang extension plan, but they were only asking for genuine and reasonable claim.