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Community wants plantation company to stop its activities on NCR land,
urge Government to demarcate their territory
KANOWIT: 49 headmen and representatives of the Iban
community from Sungai Oya, Pakoh, Bunau, Sekuau, Tuah, Bawan, Mapai and Tada in
the Sibu Division, Sarawak signed a statement protesting against Rejang Pelagus
Plantation on encroaching into their native customary rights (NCR) land and
wants the company to stop its activities immediately within their territory.
They also wrote to the Chief Minister YAB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr.) Haji
Abdul Taib Mahmud, urging the Government to start demarcating their NCR lands.
The community leaders and representatives signed the
statement after attending a community meeting organised by Persatuan Kebajikan
Masyarakat Nanga Tada at Nanga Tada Resettlement Scheme, Kanowit on
In their statement, the communities strongly
protested the encroachment of the company as they did not have the communities’
prior informed consent. As a result of the encroachment the communities
indicated that their livelihood has been negatively affected.
The communities demanded that Rejang Pelagus
Plantation stop all their activities within the communities’ NCR lands and to
hold negotiations with the rightful NCR claimants before proceeding with any
further works.
In another statement, the communities here urge the
Government to survey and map their native customary land so as they could plan
for the sustainable development of their area. The communities stated the
importance of the demarcation of their NCR land boundary so as any plans or
development projects being implemented by the Government can be carried out in
a proper and efficient manner.
Rejang Pelagus Plantation is the reforestation
project of Rejang Height Sdn. Bhd., one of the subsidiaries of the Rimbunan
Hijau Group, a large trans-national timber company. – BRIMAS
Link to community
statements:
Images of community meeting:
