Guns threat won't sacre us, said Natives

Despite two attempts on his life by workers allegedly from Palm Raya Pelita, Semawi Anak Renang will not be intimidated in defending his native customary rights (NCR) land and that of 25 other families.

Instead the threats against him and the other landowners of Rumah Randi, Selangau, have made them more determined than ever to defend their 3,000 hectares of land.

The landowners claimed that the Palm Raya Pelita oil palm plantation is owned by Tiong King Sing, the MP for Bintulu. Tiong is also the deputy president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and one Peter Hii.

Last Wednesday, the landowners organised a “sandau hari” (a ceremony in preparation for war) invoking the spirits of their forefathers for assistance, strength and courage following the second attempt on Semawi’s life.  Latest attempt on his life was made on July 2.

According to Semawi, he was on the way to take his bath in a river near the longhouse, when he saw two 4WD vehicles, one of which was blocking the road. He went to the driver to ask him to remove the vehicle, when suddenly another vehicle rushed at him. He was hit and thrown into the bush. Both vehicles hurriedly left the scene. Several people witnessed the incident.

His wife Leman Anak Senang claimed that one of the managers from the company met her, offering RM20,000 to pay for her husband’s medical expenses, and urged her not to report the incident to the police.

She turned down the offer and lodged a report with the Selangau police station. Semawi is now in Sibu General Hospital.

Semawi’s home shot at

The first attempt on his life was made in the early hours of May 25 when strangers fired shotguns towards his house. No one was injured, but his 4WD was damaged.

A report had also been made with the police.

Semawi believed that he was the target of the gangsters allegedly employed by the company as he and 25 others refused to surrender their land to the company after the company failed to adhere to the agreement between them and the company.

They have filed legal action against the company and the case is pending.

During the “sandau hari” hundreds of residents from other longhouses pledged to fight together with them.

“We must be united to defend our rights. When our rights are taken away, in this case our land, we must not retreat.

“Our forefathers defended their land with blood and tears,” they said.

Meanwhile, Joshua Jabeng, PKR’s potential candidate for the Selangau seat, has called on the government especially the police to arrest the culprits and take immediate action in order to prevent violence and bloodshed.

He said that the companies had to proceed with their activities as they had invested millions of ringgit in oil palm, but the native landowners had to defend their rights. “So bloody clashes between the natives and the oil palm companies are expected if the government does not intervene,” he warned.

Jabeng also said the government should be held responsible for any consequences as the government was the one which gave provisional leases to these companies to take away the rights of the natives.

source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/?s=Gun+Threats

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Geran Komunal Beri Jaminan Masa Depan Kepada Masyarakat Luar Bandar, Kata Najib

TENOM, 30 Jun (Bernama) — Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menyuarakan sokongan kepada konsep geran komunal hasil inisiatif kerajaan negeri Sabah, kerana ia memberi jaminan masa depan kepada masyarakat luar bandar di sini.

Berucap pada program Juara Rakyat-1Malaysia Kemabong, Tenom 2011 di Padang Pekan Kemabong dekat sini pada Khamis, beliau berkata usaha itu akan membawa perubahan cukup bermakna dalam mengeluarkan mereka daripada kepompong kemiskinan atau kategori miskin tegar.

“Inilah yang nak saya katakan transformasi luar bandar… bawa kepada perubahan cukup bermakna kepada masyarakat luar bandar.

“Saya amat menyokong konsep ini. Saya dimaklumkan semasa sarapan (di sini) tadi bahawa dalam tahun ke-empat, peserta akan dapat pendapatan lebih kurang RM1,100 sebulan setiap isi rumah.

“Cuba bayangkan, tidak payah pindah rumah dan keluarkan duit satu sen pun. Kalau rajin sikit bekerja dan usaha sampingan, mereka boleh dapat lebih. Pendapatan RM1,100 bererti mereka sudah melebihi (keluar daripada) paras kemiskinan selama-lamanya, bagi keluarga mereka,” katanya.

Sempena lawatan beliau ke daerah kecil Kemabong, yang terletak di kawasan pedalaman daerah Tenom, Najib turut menyempurnakan upacara penyerahan geran komunal bagi kawasan Kabintaluan, Kemabong, kepada tiga wakil peserta.

Kawasan seluas 2,555 hektar itu melibatkan 601 peserta dari 13 kampung.

Selain Kabintaluan, terdapat tiga lagi kawasan lain di Tenom yang telah dikenal pasti untuk geran komunal, iaitu Mangkalias (Melalap) sebanyak 1,800 hektar melibatkan 437 peserta dari 12 kampung, Pengolobon 1 (900 hektar melibatkan 116 peserta dari sebuah kampung), dan Pengolobon 2 (190 hektar melibatkan 41 peserta dari sebuah kampung).

Najib berkata kerajaan persekutuan turut mengeluarkan RM30 juta untuk tujuan persempadanan geran komunal ini.

“Sebenarnya saya ingin melihat pembangunan seimbang di Malaysia, yakni di bandar kita majukan, tetapi jangan lupa di desa dan luar bandar.

“Sebab itu salah satu daripada enam Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara (NKRA), termasuklah memastikan kemudahan-kemudahan asas dan pendapatan luar bandar meningkat. Selepas satu tahun setengah kita dapat lihat rekod peningkatan yang tertinggi dari segi pembangunan jalan raya, elektrik, bekalan air, dan rumah-rumah di luar bandar,” jelas beliau.

Dalam pada itu, Ketua Menteri Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman berkata setakat ini, beberapa geran komunal telah dikeluarkan di seluruh Sabah, termasuk di Salarom Taka (Nabawan) dan Lalampas (Tongod), dengan sokongan serta penglibatan penuh penduduk kampung.

Katanya inilah cara pemimpin Barisan Nasional berkhidmat untuk rakyat bagi memastikan golongan luar bandar dapat menikmati kehidupan lebih terjamin dan tidak lagi memikirkan tentang hal-hal pemilikan tanah untuk diwariskan di masa depan.

Sumber : Bernama

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