Chua to Gov't: Look into the plight of small holders
 Tawau, Jan 18, 2010:
Mr. Hong Kim Sime, Mr. Rosman bin Amin and some small holders from
Kalumpang A expressed their thanks to Datuk Chua Soon Bui, Member of
Parliament for Tawau, for helping to
co-ordinate with Mr. Munandar Tahir, Assistant Collector of Land revenue
for Tawau, to expedite the approval and permission to build the road
reserve at Section 1 (right) next to Sime Darby plantation. Mr. Hong said
as most of the 30 small holders have developed their land along the
proposed 3-km road, it is high time that the road is constructed rather
than the small holders passing through other estates.
Kalumpang A has about 800 small holders on 10,000-acre land mostly planted
with oil palm. Mr. Rosman said he and other small holders have been
planting on the land for quite some time and have been requesting the
government to repair or rebuild the two big bridges left by logging
companies after the 70s. Both wooden bridges constructed from logs had
since collapsed and the small holders have to resort to other roads which
are also in deplorable conditions. Mr. Rosman said it has reached a
critical stage that some of the smaller bridges which he helped build
before are also collapsing. It would affect hundreds of small holders
whose lots are located inland. Accidents could happen anytime in case the
bridges collapse and it would be too late once casualties and deaths
occur.
 The small holders have been appealing to the government but to no avail.
They want to know why the government is not helping them to repair the
roads and bridges even though they pay taxes to the government,. They ask
why the plantations in Semenanjung Malaysia are enjoying tarred roads
while many small holders in Sabah especially in Tawau are still suffering
from deplorable road conditions, especially when they are doubly taxed.
Some small holders find it difficult to make ends meet as a result of the
high cost of transportation and vehicles' maintenance and repairs.
They hoped Chua would assist them in bringing their plights to the
attention of the federal government so that their voices are heard. They
hoped the government would implement the '1Malaysia concept' and help the
small holders at Kalumpang A.
Chua who is also the SAPP vice president said that she agreed that the
government should look into the plights of the small holders in Tawau as
the affected plantations covered vast areas and they have been paying
taxes and contributing to both state and federal revenues. Sabah oil palm
industries had subsidized 2/3 of the cooking oil in Malaysia. It is high
time that the government sets a master plan for repairing smallholders
roads and bridges because these people continue to contribute to the state
and federal coffers in a big way.
กก
|
