Longhouse folk seek injunction against timber companies, govt

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SIBU: Folk of Rumah Ugoh from Sg Entuloh , Merirai Baleh, Kapit yesterday applied at the Sibu High Court for an injunction to restrain the state government and two timber companies from trespassing their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land for logging activities.

Their spokesperson, Jesse Jimbon, said they were represented by counsel Abun Sui Anyit.

“In 2010, those responsible just entered our land and logged the area without informing us or gave us any compensation.

“So, we made complaints to various authorities in Kapit such as police, Land and Survey department and district office about the trespassing, but no action was taken against them,” he told reporters outside the court.

He said the villagers set up some blockades to prevent the defendants from trespassing their 2,688 hectares of land, but to no avail.

The longhouse folk also had a dialogue with the defendants on the issue but the negotiations failed.

“We want the people to know our problem, the issues we are facing now. Since no one is listening to us, and no action taken on our complaints, we shall wait for the court’s decision,” he said.

Jesse said the folk were applying for an injunction restraining the defendants from trespassing, clearing, using, or occupying their land.

They also applied for a mandatory injunction preventing the companies from further operation and remove all structures, equipment and machinery from their land.