Extracted from Borneo Post

Dated: 14 May 2001

KUCHING, Sun. - The Superintendent of Lands and Surveys, Bintulu will appeal against the High Court decision which ruled that Tuai Rumah Nor ak Nyawai, Sekalai ak Ling, Jerangku ak Bangkit and Lani ak Taneh had Native Customary Rights over a disputed area of 672.08 hectares, which formed part of two provisional leases is issued to Borneo Pulp Plantation Sdn. Bhd. for establishing a tree plantation to support the pulp and paper project in Ulu Tatau.

A spokesman from the State Attorney General's Chambers said the Notice of Appeal to the Court of Appeal will be filed very shortly.

Although the decision will not affect the Pulp and Paper project, it was learnt that the Government decided to appeal as it firmly believes that certain fundamental issues of law on land matters were wrongly decided by the High Court, and ought to be taken to the Court of Appeal.

The pulp and paper project undertaken by Borneo Pulp and Paper Sdn. Bhd. which upon restructure shortly, will be a subsidiary company of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC).

Work in the pulp mill site is in progress, and the Miri High Court, in a separate suit, granted an injunction to restrain some natives from setting up blockades on the road leading to the pulp mill site last month.

The mill is expected to be completed by mid 2003.