SAPP: Stop illegal rock excavations

KOTA BELUD - The State government and the relevant authorities have been urged to immediately stop the ongoing illegal extraction of rocks and river sand at the Wariu River, in Kg Nahaba, here.

Urging this was Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Kadamaian Chief, Agnes Liewpin, following received of complaint from Gumparis Limban, the Chairman of a community-based NGO, Persatuan Bombon Natesa, Kota Belud, recently.

Persatuan Bombon Natesa Kota Belud which consists of 5 villages namely kg. Tombulion, Kg. Nahaba, Kg. Telungan, Kg Terintidon and Kg Sayap had been registered with Registrar of Societies (ROS) in January 2011. It was incepted with the purpose of working hand in hand with the State Government to safeguard and protect the nature of the river and environment from being destroyed.

Gumparis had apparently sought Agnes’s assistance to highlight the villagers’ concern and objection against such activities, which had been going on since 9 April this year, after having exhausted all the official avenues to file their complaints.

This included the Kota Belud District Office with a copy extended to such relevant authorities like the State Fisheries Department, the State Environment Conservation Department (ECD), the Lands and Survey Department, and the District Assistant Collector of Land Revenues.

The said official complaint was made by Gumparis on 14 April, this year.

In addition, Gumparis who was the former Village Chief in year 2004 to 2005 had on 19 June filed an official complaint with the District Native Court, urging the latter to impose Sogit (traditional fine) on the operator involved.

In a statement issued here today, Agnes stressed that it is only appropriate that all the relevant authorities must act immediately to stop such activities, especially in view of the fact that the said area has been gazetted for Bombon/Tagal (traditional estuary conservation) for the villagers in Kg Nahaba.

“The Tagal system which the kampung folks had practised to preserve and protect the fish stock in the rivers for the past ten years had now been disturbed and contaminated by the illegal rock extraction activities.

“The Tagal system is a smart partnership between the local community and the State Government in protecting and reviving the depleting freshwater fishery resource. The system empowers the local community through the Native Customary Law and the Sabah Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Enactment, to protect, revive and harvest the fish sustainably.

“We are not against development. We understand that the operator requires the raw material for development, but they should look for other alternative sites, in order not to disturb the Tagal system of the kampung folks,” she argued.

She further noted that the Wariu River is the 2nd longest river in the district of Kota Belud and it is very unique and rich in biodiversity, as compare with other rivers, coupled with its beautiful nature and crystal clear water from Mt Kinabalu.

Agnes  also noted that after listening to Gumparis’s complaint, she had immediately called up the Assistant Collector of Revenues of Kota Belud for clarification on the matter.

She said she was made to understand by ACLR that a meeting among the operator concerned, Village Chiefs, Village Security Committee, and Gumparis was called recently to resolve the matter, towards the end of last May.

As the result, the operator involved was told to stop extraction works and the Village Chief was instructed to call a meeting with all the villagers in Kg Nahaba, to decide whether to permit the operator to continue with the extraction works.

Unfortunately, there had been no meeting from the village chief till to-date, but in the meantime, the Operator had resumed his extraction works again, especially during weekends and public holidays.

The Persatuan Bombon Natesa Kota Belud which consists of 5 villages namely kg. Tombulion, Kg. Nahaba, Kg. Telungan, Kg Terintidon and Kg Sayap had been registered with Registrar of Societies in January 2011, with the purpose to work hand in hand with Government to safeguarding and protecting the nature of the river and environment from being destroyed.