Angry land-grab victims of the Rungus, Kimaragang, Sonsogon and Sungei tribes in northern Sabah have pledged to defend their NCR lands to the death.
They claimed the land grabs, some of which they alleged were backed by politicians from the ruling party, had resulted in bitter experiences for thousands of them.
Many of these natives are displaced and squatting in nearby villages as well as awaiting court orders obtained by big companies with political links.
Hosting the rally last Saturday at Torong Soko overlooking the Marudu Bay here was the surging State Reform Party (STAR), which successfully applied for and obtained a police permit under the recently passed Peaceful Rally Act.
The Dusunic tribes of Rungus, Kimaragang, Sonsogon and Sungei who are victims of the land grabs pledged to defend their NCR lands to the death.
They also pledged to thwart the ruling Umno-led Barisan Nasional’s bid to retain its parliamentary and state seats in the north at the coming general election.
Local media, meanwhile, blacked out news of the rally which was also attended by STAR Sabah chairman, Jeffrey Kitingan.
The protesters last weekend put up many placards which, among others, carried slogans calling for the BN government to respect various conventions including the United Nations’s convention on right of the natives on land.
Three representatives of the land-grab victims spoke for about 10 minutes each at the rally, warning the people of worse things to come if the current BN leaders continued to helm the state as they are already beholden not only to outside power but to businessmen from big companies.
The three were Jaipin Mohigal, a former policeman and former ketua kampung (village headman) from Tandek, pastor Marunsai Dawai from Matunggung and Midon Madoi, a village headman of Kampung Bongkol, Pitas.
More land rallies soon
Looking straight at the OCPD standing across him, Jaipin said: “I have been chased out of my NCR land, they (Sabah Forestry Department) burned my house, but I won’t budge as this is my land. I will die here, and I am not afraid to die for my rights, you can arrest me…”
Midon said he decided to take the lead even though he is a government-appointed village headman because he believed he was doing the right thing to help defend the NCR rights of the natives.
Marunsai also called on the people to think carefully about the future as what happened to them might also happen to their next generation if the government continue to allow land grabs via dubious tricks.
Allegations are rife that land grabs were carried out using government agencies, to force the evacuation of the natives to make way for big companies to take over their lands for palm oil plantation.
Jeffrey in his speech said the current government was totally lost in its purpose and is no longer protecting the natives.
“Never in history have Sabahans been treated worst like under this current government where they prefer to give lands to outsiders and companies than the natives who have been living in the areas for generations.
“If we don’t decide to repel this government, who else will help us? It is now the time, and it us who must determine our own future in our own land. Vote for change this time,” he said to loud applause of “Ini Kali Lah”.
Earlier, organising chairman, Maklin Masiau, in his speech, said the rally in Pitas is the launching pad for more peaceful rallies on land issues and that the effort to regain respect for NCR would reverberate across Sabah.
“There would be more bigger rallies…” he said, adding that it is the people who wanted to protest the government’s biased treatment against them.
Maklin, a teacher who recently resigned from his post, is said to be among the earliest that had been “confirmed” as STAR candidate. He is earmarked to stand in Pitas state constituency, currently held by Umno’s Bolkiah Ismail.
The OCPD of Kota Marudu, Mohd Isa Othman, with dozens of policemen both in uniform and plainclothes were present throughout the rally which started just before noon and ended peacefully at 5pm.
This keeps going on, Sabah will loose her biodiversity. All the government cronies and plantation owners are only interested in filling their pockets. Ask Musa, is this what he means by helping Sabahans or is he helping himself. Media blackout only goes to show they don't care. They don't even bother with compensation. The exact same thing is happening in Sarawak. Yes, it is now that the rural folks must realize and stand up. Sound the war drums. Today we take back what was stolen from us. Our rights, our land and our country Sabah.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think the better way to curb the problem is to actually , confront the authorities.
DeleteSABAH TRAITORS SHOULD BE DRAWN & QUARTERED
DeleteWilliam Wallace was a rebel and resisted English invasion and colonization of Scotland.
After 300 years the Scots will be holding an independence referendum in 2014.
Sabahans should not wait 300 years for their independence referendum!
We want it now!
BTW the English executed William by hanging and to make he was dead they had him "drawn and quartered". This great hero did not make one whimper or sound and resisted to the end!
(Google for menacing of "drawn & quartered"- In Sabah and Sarawak we used to separate the body from the head or the other way round!)
We love Sabah and we must do our best to take back our country from the Malayan colonialists!
This time we "draw and quarter" the traitors!
Battle of Falkirk
DeleteMain article: Battle of Falkirk
"In 1298, Wallace lost the Battle of Falkirk. On 1 April 1298, the English invaded Scotland at Edinburgh. They plundered Lothian and regained some castles, but failed to bring Wallace to combat. The Scots adopted a scorched earth policy and hit and run tactics. The English quartermasters' failure to prepare for the expedition left morale and food supplies low, but Edward's search for Wallace would not end at Falkirk."
This excerpt from Wikipedia shows that the Scots engaged in guerilla warfare well suited to Sabah terrain.
tanah2 penduduk harus dilindungi dan dipertahankan. jgn biarkan penduduk hilang tanah mereka.
ReplyDeleteSiapa2 pun akan menegakkan keadilan untuk kebaikan masing2.
DeleteJika betul, harap nasib mereka akan terbela.
Deletepemimpin perjuangkan hak orang asal tapi kalau orang asal sendiri menjual tanah mereka dengan orang luar?
DeleteBumburing ada tubuhkan PAKAT bagi menuntut hak2 NCR penduduk. harap ia dpt pertahankan hak2 penduduk.
ReplyDeleteSUHAKAM has made its special hearing report recently.
Deletesemoga nasib penduduk sentiasa terjaga.
DeleteThey can't do the grabbing if the general population have the land grant. They are against the law if they invaded the land without any permission from the land owner. There must be something wrong. This is totally opposite to what had happen in Sukau. On the 22nd June 2012, a land title handover ceremony was held for the people to received their land titles. They have been waited for 40 years to get the land title.
ReplyDeleteAt last they get the title. We must have patience in out heart. Sooner or later we will get what we want but we need to hold a little longer. There is no make sense if the government did not so anything to make sure that the people get the best.
As I said, investigations should been done to avoid any clash in the future.
DeleteHak rakyat dalam pemilikan tanah NCR perlulah dibela.
DeleteJangan biarkan masalah tanah menghantui semua lapisan masyarakat di sini.
ReplyDeleteSelagi tiada pihak yang sentiasa membantu mempertahankan hak2 tanah adat rakyat, maka sleagi itu jugalah isu-isu sebegini akan timbul.
DeleteSUHAKAM dan AMANAH merupakan dua buah NGO yang membantu memperjuangkan hak tanah rakyat.
DeleteMasalah tanah sudalah lama berlaku, di harap dengan penubuhan Suhakam dan AMANAH dapat mencari jalan penyelesaian.
Deleteusaha mana2 pihak dan pertubuhan diharap dapat memperlihatkan hasil positif dalam mengurangkan kes2 tentang tanah NCR.
DeleteKesian betul dengan penduduk kampung yang terlibat. Harap nasib dorang dapat dibela.
ReplyDeleteSemoga hal ini mendapat perhatian sewajarnya drai pihak-pihak berkenaan.
ReplyDeleteany customary rights claim has to be forwarded to the Land and Survey Department
ReplyDeleteDiharapkan Jabatan Tanah dan Ukuran akan berusaha mempertahankan hak tanah rakyat.
Deletejabatan tanah dan ukir pu harus menjalankan tugas mereka.
Deletediharap tiada di kalangan kakitangan Jabatan Tanah dan Ukur yang salahgunakan kuasa mereka.
DeleteLand titles can be revoked if they fail to oblige by the terms and conditions in proper documentations.
ReplyDeleteGeran Komunal boleh melindungi pemilih tanah daripada kehilangan tanah kerana ia melarang pemilik menjual tanah tersebut ataupun pindah milik. Begitu, mereka tidak akan ditipu.
DeleteAMANAH baru saja memperkenalkan pertubuhan yang digelar Persatuan Anak-anak PAKAT yang bertujuan untuk melindungi hak tanah rakyat. Diharapkan hak mereka diperjuangkan.
ReplyDeleteMudah-mudahan ada sinar positif daripada penubuhan PAKAT ni.
Deleteharap semua pihak akan berusaha utk cari penyelesaian terbaik.
Deletepersatuan ni untuk di beberapa kawasan saja. mungkin perlu diperluaskan lagi peranan hingga meliputi seluruh kawasan di Sabah.
DeleteSusah juga mahu cakap. Cuba letak diri kita di tempat orang kampung ni.
ReplyDeleteBetul tu. Hanya mereka saja yang tahu betapa sengsaranya dorang ni sampai bertindak sebegini. huhu
Deletewhat the villagers going through are far more worse than it seems. I hope the government could help them out.
DeleteHarap hal ini akan diberi perhatian serius.
ReplyDeleteThis land grabbing issues should be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteThe people rights must be protected.
Deletewhat rightfully belongs to them should not be taken away just like that.
ReplyDeletesebarang isu yang berlaku harus diselesaikan demi kepentingan rakyat.
ReplyDeleteharap perhatian yang sewajarnya akan diberikan terhadap pekara ini.
ReplyDeleteisu tanah yang berlaku harus diselesaikan agar tidak terus berpanjangan.
ReplyDeleteMemang pembangkang mencari peluang sebegini untuk menyuarakan dan menyalahkan kerajaan. Ini memang sudah rancangan pembangkang sebenarnya.
ReplyDeleteJika itu hak mereka maka tidak salah mereka mempertahankannya. Maka buatlah perbincangan bagi menyelesaikan masalah tersebut.
ReplyDeleteSemoga kerajaan mencari jalan untuk menyelesaikan masalah.
Deletedi kampung kami pula bukan orang luar yang merampas tanah tapi orang yang sesama penduduk hingga mengakui semua tanah yang berhampiran tanahnya adalah milik dia seorang. hairan tiada yang berani untuk menentang orang tu habis-habisan.
ReplyDeleteitu saja yang boleh dibantu oleh STAR?? sekadar tolong penduduk kampung berdemo?? kenapa Jeffrey tidak bawa saja masalah mereka ke mahkamah sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh peguam kong hong ming??
ReplyDeletenampak sangat la pemimpin2 pembangkang di negeri ini hanya suka mengambil kesempatan disebalik kesempitan.. niat untuk membantu tu tidak ada, tapi niat untuk mempergunakan masalah itu, ada..
ReplyDeleteMinister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili has urged the state government to double its current allocation to clear the backlog of land claims involving the natives and to allow for surveying to progress. The Kota Marudu member of parliament said land ownership by rural natives is still hampered by insufficient funding to facilitate the surveying of areas which they applied for, including those which they had toiled on and native customary rights land.
ReplyDelete“Sabahans have made their grouses known and heard relating to numerous native land claims yet to be processed after years of application, caused in the main by the lack of funds allocated to the Land and Survey Department specifically for conducting survey works,” he said.Ongkili lauded the federal government for allocating RM26 million to Sabah to conduct survey for NCR land, which remains a thorny issue among the people.
ReplyDelete“This allocation is much welcomed and appreciated as land is a state matter. However, the amount is insufficient to clear the huge backlog in all districts. I urge the state government to double the existing state allocation for surveying so that we can resolve this problem,” he said.Ongkili added that it was only through survey of the NCR land could native land areas be accorded protection from intrusion by huge companies most of which are not owned by locals.
ReplyDelete“An annual allocation of at least RM100million by the state government for the next three years will clear all the survey work backlog. This means land assets will be in the hands of most natives who rightfully own this land of Sabah,” he said during a working visit to Kampung Tangkol in Marak Parak, where he joined in the Pesta Kaamatan celebration.During his visit, Ongkili noted that Mukim Marak Parak, which comprises 22 villages with a population of 3,500 people, had progressed from a sleepy hollow to a shining model of a successful rural transformation carried out by Barisan Nasional.
“Ten years ago the areas was a sleepy part of Kota Marudu with the 45km road link to the township of Kota Marudu a popular location for spotlight hunting as there were not many motorists plying the road.“Today the road is being upgraded and sealed as a major link between Kota Marudu and Ranau. A RM10 million water supply system is being built to cater for 12 villages along the Marak Parak-Kota Marudu road while electricity supply has reached 18 of the 22 villages and mobile phone service is now available at all the villages.
“The Education Department has secured a site for a new SMK Marak Parak to serve the six primary feeder schools in the area and almost every household has a rubber plot as source of income,” he said.Ongkili pointed out, “this was the delivery of promised economic transformation to the people by Barisan Nasional, unlike the Opposition who are only good at criticising and making all sorts of promises without any capacity nor power to deliver.”
ReplyDelete