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.

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