Illegal logging in Meradong an open secret

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Immature logs lying by the roadside at Sg Sian.

Immature logs lying by the roadside at Sg Sian.

BAT-V-LOGO2BINTANGOR: Illegal logging has been going on in Meradong area like ‘nobody’s business’. Longhouse folks of Meradong as well as its state assemblywoman Ting Tze Fui said it was a known fact that illegal logging of very young trees had been rampant from Mador area in Meradong all the way to Pakan.

“The illegal loggers do it like nobody’s business and even dare transport the logs in broad daylight. Everyone knows about it but no one dares report it out of fear of the perpetrators.

“When I lodged a police report, the police backed off, saying these gangsters were armed with parang,” Ting told The BAT Team yesterday.

She said illegal logging was rampant before Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem started the war to combat the criminal activity, which robbed the state of millions of ringgit. Until today the activity is ongoing. There is also illegal rubber tapping – farmers or land owners complain of gangsters encroaching their rubber gardens to tap their trees without asking for permission.

“These farmers or land owners did not dare lodge police reports as the gangsters had threatened to harm them.” But illegal rubber tapping has recently slowed down considerably due to the low price of rubber.

On claims by some community leaders that the takeover of Meradong seat by the opposition was the reason for no development in the area, Ting, who has been the elected representative there for the last two terms, refuted it.

She said development funds for Meradong had doubled after the opposition took over Meradong. The funds were channelled to the people through the district council.

“In fact, figures from the government showed that allocations to Meradong have doubled. In 2011, allocation to Meradong District increased from less than RM1 million to RM2 million.

“And for 2013, development funds was RM1.9 million. All these are minor rural project funds channelled through the district council. This figure has yet to include development funds channelled through the district office,” said Ting.

The question should be how the funds were used to develop the area, which only the local authorities such as the district council and district office can answer. On the issue of inconsistency in provision of basic facilities such as treated water and electricity for areas within a 10 km radius from Bintangor, Ting said she knew of these cases, and had even raised some of them in the State Assembly sittings.

“Take the case of Rumah Selat – I raised it in the State Assembly and was told by the Public Utility Ministry that the project would be completed by December 2014. But until now, nothing has been done. That means for four Gawai festivals, these longhouse folks had no electricity.

“I will continue to chase the ministry and Sesco as well as the contractor for the follow up. Basically, the government and Sesco, which has been enjoying the monopoly, should be responsible for supervising the sub-contractors and making sure projects are delivered on time.” She said it was frustrating for longhouse folks within 10km radius of Bintangor as many still cannot access electricity and treated water.

“It would be unfair to blame the opposition for the situation. Before DAP was elected here, the area was for decades represented by BN politicians, including a full minister (Datuk Lau Hieng Ding). Why had he not brought basic facilities like treated water and electricity?”