KUCHING, April 9: PKR Sarawak viewed positively oil palm plantation company IOI Corp Bhd’s offer to return 5,000ha of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land to Baram villagers as a framework to restorative justice and peaceful resolution of ongoing disputes.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak secretary Joshua Jabeng emphasised that this positive development has created renewed hope for other native communities in Sarawak who have been pursuing legal actions for decades over illegal confiscation of their NCR land.
“PKR Sarawak welcomes the recent declaration by IOI to return over 5,000 hectares of NCR land within the PL (provisional lease). This is a positive development for the native people of Ulu Tinjar, Baram.
“It provides a framework for restorative justice and peaceful resolution of ongoing disputes and helps to avoid prolonged confrontation and legal battles,” he said in a statement today while calling on other PL holders to do likewise soon.
Joshua pointed out that Pakatan Harapan (PH) is committed to assisting committed communities to develop sustainable agricultural diversification.
“The native communities of Ulu Tinjar can now develop their lands peacefully and sustainably with the goal of shared prosperity.
“We are committed to people-centric development and eradication of rural poverty,” he added.
He noted that Sarawak with her vast land and year-round favourable climate has the great potential to diversify their agricultural portfolio and ensure food security as well as develop crops for potential exporters in the near future.
Meanwhile, it was reported on March 18 that IOI Corp Bhd had agreed to return 5,000ha of NCR land to villagers in Tinjar, Sarawak under a resolution, which resulted from more than two years of engagement by both parties involved in the disputed land after the PL was issued by the state government in 1996.
Assistant Minister for Local Government and Housing Datu Dr Penguang Manggil revealed that the community leaders and longhouse chiefs have on March 17 accepted IOI Corp offer to return the land in Long Teran, Long Labing and Long Lapok from the provisionally-leased area under its unit Pelita Plantation Sdn Bhd in Tinjar.
“This could only be achieved with engagement from the reputed company which recognises NCR rights and civil society, arriving at this agreement involving the Iban, Berawan, Penan, Kayan and Kenyah communities in Tinjar.
“This proves that land already inside the PL can still be taken out if there is genuine NCR ownership,” said Penguang, who is also the Marudi assemblyman.
It was reported that the meeting between IOI Corp and the villagers was chaired by acting Miri resident Abdul Aziz Mohamad Yusuf and attended by longhouse chiefs from Long Jegan, Long Tabing, Long Tuyut, Long Teran Baru, Long Teran Kanan A and Long Teran Kanan B, among others.
There were 365 registered claimants and other individual claims to the disputed land which started when IOI Pelita began planting in 1998 after the provisional lease was issued by the state government in 1996.
Penguang also proposed that perimetre survey under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code be carried out by the Land and Survey Department for the 5,000ha of land to be gazetted as community reserves. — DayakDaily
