|
|
Extracted From Malaysiakini
Tebedu villagers angry over
decision to take their land
Tony Thien
Oct 14,
The
Bidayuh-Sadong villagers in Kampung Entubuh at Tebedu
near the Malaysian-Indonesian border of Sarawak are shocked and angry after
learning recently that their entire occupied kampung
land is to be acquired by the government for an inland port project.
A
Land and Survey Department official handed a letter last Thursday to the
village heads, representing 106 families comprising about 550 men, women and
children, notifying them of such a move.
They
have reacted with shock, sadness and anger, especially as there was no prior
consultation, and have sought immediate help from their elected representative
Michael Manyin to put a halt to it.
According
to a government official based in Tebedu, the villagers were greatly distressed
at learning that the land they and their grandparents have occupied for nearly
a century are going to be completely acquired for the project.
“The
villagers were so distressed that they spent four restless days and nights
recently and met for four times to discuss the matter after receiving the
notification letter,” he added.
60 days for claims
The
letter, signed by Samarahan Superintendent of Land and Survey Ari Abdul Rahman,
has issued notice under Section 5 (3 and 4) of the Sarawak Land Code to advise
of the government’s intention to extinguish their native customary rights (NCR)
on the land and asking them to submit claims for compensation within sixty days
(in this case expiring Nov 21).
After
this date, no claim for compensation will be entertained.
Under
the law, anyone who is dissatisfied with the compensation sums offered can
refer the matter for arbitration.
The
villagers have informed the authorities that they do not want to move away nor
do they have any intention of doing so from the land on which they have built
homes and farmed since the 1920s, according to opposition Sarawak Reform Party
(Star) president Dr Patau Rubis (photo)
who visited the village earlier this week.
The
village is at the edge of Tebedu bazaar, about 100km from Kuching, near the
Tebedu-Entikong international checkpoint. The kampung land is affected by the proposed development of
the 150-ha inland port.
A
new township Bandar Mutiara has also been developed at Tebedu, and a cluster of
labour-intensive industries to utilize cheap Indonesian labour is being planned
near the vicinity by a state government agency in joint venture with the
private sector.
The
village’s security and development committee secretary Michael Jumat told malaysiakini that a four-member
delegation led by community head Beranyai Basi will meet the Tebedu state
assemblyperson Michael Manyin, who is also state environment and public health
minister, to convey their concerns and views to him.
Not consulted
Tebedu
senior administrative officer Bai Dunga, when contacted, would only say that he
had been asked to prepare a report for the minister before the meeting tomorrow
in Kuching.
“We
are anxious to find out whether our elected rep is aware or not of the proposed
acquisition of the kampung
land for the project,” Jumat added.
“We
were never consulted before (about the land going to be affected by the
project),” Jumat said. “We refuse to go.”
The
origins of the kampung started
with the first wave of migration from what was then Dutch-ruled
The
villagers are all Malaysians of Sarawak origin belonging to the Bidayuh-Sadong
group, and holding blue identity cards.
Jumat
described the government’s move as ‘very stupid’ and likely to have serious
repercussions unless it is stopped.
“The
project proponents should look elsewhere for land. There is so much land in
