Extracted from Malaysiakini

Angry villagers set up blockade
Tony Thien
May 27, 06 3:29pm

Angry Lun Bawang villagers in Lawas, northern Sarawak, have set-up a blockade to prevent a timber company from taking logs out until they get answers concerning their money.

Although the action is against KTN Timor - a subsidiary of Miri-based timber conglomerate Samling Group - their grievance is actually directed at a group of former and present Lun Bawang politicians in the Barisan Nasional.

“The total amount without interest is about RM5 million,” said their spokesperson Jameson Taie.

He told malaysiakini today that they decided to erect the blockade at Kampung Long Resina to press the company for answers such as the quantum of payment made over the years and to whom.

Under an agreement signed in1986, the company was supposed to pay about RM250,000 annually to the Lun Bawang community through two companies - Maju Labo with Michael Labo Buaye as its nominee and Daya Labo with Alfred Dawat Gugkang as nominee.

This represents about 30% equity allocated to the Lun Bawang, with another 30% for the Malay community and the balance 40% for the company itself.

Malays also shortchanged?

“In the case of the Lun Bawang, the money is supposed to be paid to the Lun Bawang Association,” Taie said, adding that not a single cent has been sighted.

“Therefore, we want the company to tell us where the money went and to which individuals,” he said.

Taie said during the recent election campaign he had heard that even the Malay community in Lawas, who were supposed to have a share of the timber proceeds, were similarly shortchanged by their own people.

He said the natives had used sawn timber to close about three-quarter of the road, with an opening big enough only for a four-wheel drive Land Cruiser to pass through but not bigger vehicles.

“About15 people are now manning the timber blockade day and night and we intend to bring some more boys from Long Terusan to reinforce the blockade and probably set up another blockade until the company gets the message and responds.

“We plan to sleep there for as long as it is necessary,” he added.
The Lun Bawang is one of Sarawak's smallest ethnic groups found in Lawas, Trusan and Ba'kelalan.

Lately, there has been a certain degree of discontent over companies encroaching into Native Customary Rights (NCR) land for plantation and logging activities.