Chua: Plight of 98 small holders' appeal fell on deaf ears

Tawau, Jan 7, 2010: Datuk Chua Soon Bui, MP of Tawau and vice president of SAPP responded to the appeal by 98 small holders at Bukit Andrassy, Sg. Balung, and urged the authority especially the Forestry Department to reconsider its further actions based on this special individual case.

"Although nobody is above the law, the background history of this case warrants a sincere review by both parties. She sympathized with the 98 small holders, most of them from the KDM communities who have been farming on the land since the logging activities terminated in the 70s. She also regretted to hear that no reply was received despite numerous appeals to the government. The small holders felt that they were inhumanly treated when their 60 homes were forcefully burned down in 2006 despite their repeated appeals with their valid genuine history, the authority's actions were regrettably uncalled for.

She was briefed by Thadeus Sebir, spokesman for the small holders, in the presence of Francis Clement and Maraus at the site where the Forestry Department had started demolishing the oil palm trees of 5-10 years. Thadeus said that the local natives started planting fruit trees, then the golden fruits of cocoa in the late 70s and early 80s, and then replanted with oil palms in the 90s. They started applying for the land in the 80s but no reply was ever received regarding the status of their applications. The land was practically vacant with no timber trees when they first started their cultivations. During their occupancy, the forestry staffs were seen occasionally visiting the site but never at any point of time had they tried to warn them that the said land is under forest reserve or to evict them. It was only in 2006 that after the eviction order had been issued that the sign board of the forest reserve was put up.

At the site where the forestry department had cleared the oil palms, there were only aged fruit trees with little or almost no timber or secondary jungle growth.

Chua said illegal land squatting has been a long time overdue problems in Sabah, be it for farming or housings. It is high time that the government should have a total holistic approach rather than taking cruel and drastic actions on the local Sabahans. Furthermore, why was there no enforcement when people have encroached on the land but why now, in most of the cases after 30-40 years of occupancy?

She felt that it is not unreasonable that the small holders proposed a win-win proposal to the government to rent the occupied land for more than 10 years until such time they have recovered their investments, also in the mean time, help to replant back wood seedlings in the government reforestation program. After all, the forestry department is in no hurry to evict them as there is no forest to protect for. Such proposal will benefit the local natives during this tough and difficult time of economy downturn. The government will continue to benefit from the oil palm revenue. If the government is genuine in its reforestation policy, it is high time to start replanting in the vast heavily logged areas in Sabah.

She urged the government to walk the talk of People First, under the PM's 1 Malaysia concept. Please protect the interests of Sabahans.