KUCHING: The villagers of Kampung Stenggang in Bau district were surprised to why their 1,986 hectares NCR land are being provisionally leased to two private companies for the palm oil plantation, and not to Salcra.
Chairman of Kampung Stenggang Oil Palm Estate Committee Wilfred Sabang said the villagers has actually invited the Sarawak Land Custody and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) to develop that piece of land for the proposed phase two of the Kampung Stenggang Oil Palm Estate.
He said Salcra has agreed in principal whereby between 400 to 500 land owners has agreed to give their land to Salcra to develop the proposed oil palm plantation.
Salcra has already developed 2,000 hectares of the village’s land for oil palm and has started harvesting the fruit since 2007.
Wilfred said they had invited Salcra to develop the land in 2008 and they were anxiously waiting for the approval.
“Because of that we are very surprise to know that the Land and Survey Department has provisionally leased the land to two private companies, which we objected. We want Salcra to develop the land because we are guaranteed the returns and land titles,” he added.
Meanwhile the village’s former headman Nyapeng Anak Noyef who narrated the history of the disputed land during the dialogue with Suhakam officers and the Land and Survey staff said the land was opened up during the era of a Bidayuh worrior named Panglima Kulow (in the 20s), which they have the NCR right on it.
“For over that long period of time the land has always been ours and why today the government tell us that it is State land?” he asked.
Nyapeng also expressed disappointment saying the Land and Survey Department officers has never discussed the matter with them, adding that they just simply give the land to the two private companies to develop.
“In our custom (Bidayuh) when you enter other people territories you must knock on their door and seek permission and not just trespassing,” he said.
An officer from the Land and Survey Department immediately apologized.
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