Jok (left), Abun (third left), Ajeng (fourth left) and the affected landowners from Long Pilah are urging the chief minister to solve illegal logging in their NCR land.
MIRI: Residents of Long Pilah are appealing to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to speedily solve problems of alleged illegal logging in their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
Chairman of the Long Pilah Peoples Action Committee, Ajeng Jok, said the problem was worsening by the day with an estimated 100 hectares of their land already been logged.
He said not only have the people lost their NCR lands, rubber trees and other crops to the logging company, the 500 villagers were also living in fear of being harassed by thugs.
Besides, their appeals to the relevant authorities (including the Chief Minister’s Office) since March this year, had not received any response, although the Forest Department had conducted an investigation in May.
“Officers from the Forest Department came to investigate the company’s operations in May. Logs that have been felled by the company were later tied up by the officers.
“This led us to believe that the company’s operation must have contravened certain aspects of the law. However, not long after that, the company moved the timbers without the presence of any personnel from the department,” he told a press conference here yesterday, which was also attended by the affected landowners, lawyer Abun Sui who is also PKR Belaga chairman and Jok Jau Evong the coordinator of Sahabat Alam Malaysia in Marudi.
Ajeng went on to say that when asked by officers from the Forest Department in Miri the company said they had a valid licence to operate.
However, the department refused to provide further information on the company with an excuse that such information was considered sensitive. This confused the villagers more.
He added that an invitation for a discussion with the company in Miri on June 27 also did not turn out as expected.
“Instead, we heard threatening words like “if in Sibu, legs may break” (kalau di Sibu, patah kaki ini macam). They even took photographs of our vehicles,” said Ajeng.
Fearing for their safety, three police reports were lodged on June 29, at Long Lama police station. The villagers too have mounted a blockade on June 4 and took possession of keys to several heavy machinery, vehicles and other equipment belonging to the company, with the hope to effectively deter any further encroachments.
However, on July 4, Ajeng was detained but was released on bail the following day. He will soon stand trial for ‘theft’ of the company’s properties, under Section 379A of the Penal Code.
Following the incident, the Long Pilah Peoples Action Committee yesterday sent a second open letter to the chief minister asking him to intervene accordingly.
Ajeng added this was the first time their temuda land was logged by a company, believed to have the consent of only 17 villagers including the headman.