Dr Teo points at Kapan’s wounds.
MIRI: A longhouse resident has claimed that he was assaultedby eight men with golf clubs on May 8.
Kapan Budin from Rumah Gansul, Sungai Sebatu, Suai claimed that the assault resulted in cuts to his head, which required over 12 stitches, as well as injuries to his body.
According to him, he was hospitalised for three days at Miri Hospital.
“I have lodged several police reports on the incident. However, until today, no action has been taken against the culprits,” he told a press conference yesterday.
He claimed that as the police have not investigated his assault case, the culprits can still be seen at Batu Niah town.
Kapan claimed the beating occurred after he harvested oil palm fruits that had been planted on his Native Customary Rights (NCR) land by a planter who rented the land.
According to him, there was a verbal agreement between him and the planter that after three years, he would receive RM1 for each of the oil palms planted there.
However, he claimed he had not received anything and thus decided to harvest the fruits.
Kapan also claimed to have lodged a police report before harvesting the fruits from the land, which had been planted with 642 oil palms in 2005.
According to him, the planter also had verbal agreements with five other longhouse folk, all of whom had received their payments.
“I’m now seeking compensation for the injury and want the police to take stern action against the culprits,” he said.
Meanwhile, Miri MP Dr Michael Teo said such gangsterism should not have happened.
He claimed that if the authorities concerned do not take action, violence could erupt in the area.
“If the police don’t take action, you could see fighting between the two groups – the longhouse folk and the planter,” he said.