Hollynah (third left), Jerry (second left) and Alex (third right) during the press conference.
KOTA KINABALU (Dec 5): Around 100 residents of Kampung Niantang, Pitas received their land ownership after more than two decades of waiting.
The village’s action body chairwoman, Hollynah Mopuas, 55, who was among those who received the ownership, expressed her gratitude to the State Government and the Land and Surveys Department (JTU) for approving 50.58 hectares of land for the residents after a 27-year wait.
However, she said the approved land is only part of the 169 hectares they are fighting for, which are lands that they have been residing on for decades, acknowledging that even though the State Government had offered them the remaining hectares at a nearby plot of land, they want another alternative.
She explained that some of the villagers were dissatisfied on the proposed resolution, due to disagreements in dividing the allotted replacement land.
“So we are hoping that the State Government can consider returning these remaining lands to the villagers, while the replacement land that they offered is given to the relevant company, as the lands given to the company is a rubber planting area while the replacement land is a forest area.
“We are also hoping that the State Government can revive a Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) project near the village, which has been delayed due to intrusion issues, to improve the surrounding economy and for the future generation,” she told a press conference at the Malaysia Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) Sabah office here on Thursday.
MHO Sabah coordinator Captain Jerry Jaimeh said the association has been providing assistance in resolving this problem after Hollynah raised the issue to the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) two years ago.
Jerry said after villagers claimed that the grants for around half of 400 hectares of their customary land were released to a company, MHO and the villagers had a discussion with JTU and CMD, including State Local Government and Housing (KPKT) Minister Datuk Seri Joachim Gunsalam and JTU director Datuk Sr Bernard Liew Chau Min.
Following the discussions, he said CMD then issued a letter directing JTU officers to investigate the case and a meeting was held the same day, followed by land survey works which was carried out by the department within a four-month timeframe, and a State Government promise to provide another land to the villagers as replacement for the some 200 hectares.
Most recently, he said 43 land grant applications by the villagers have been approved, while 15 other grants are in the process, adding that he appreciates the relevant authorities’ swift actions to resolve the problem.
Also present was Sabah Indigenous Peoples Organisation (POAS) president Alex Sanggun.
The post Pitas villagers’ 27-year wait for land ownership over appeared first on Borneo Post Online.