KENINGAU: Keningau Umno yesterday welcomed the state government’s positive response to Native Customary Rights (NCR) land issues, especially the introduction of communal titles.
“The State government’s willingness to listen to feedback, constructive criticism and ideas regarding two pertinent issues are indeed very appropriate and most welcomed.
“As we all know, issues such as land matters are very sensitive because it involves the rights and future wellbeing of all Sabahans, especially the natives,” Keningau Umno Youth chief Azman Ruslan told Bernama, here.
He said although the government had made efforts to explain the rational behind the introduction of communal titles, people were apparently still not satisfied and wanted more detailed information on how it works and how it would affect their future.
Azman, who was former Sabah Umno Youth leader, believed that the people’s apprehension towards the introduction of the communal title was probably due to misunderstandings and lack of information.
“It doesn’t matter whether their grievances were channeled through Suhakam or any political organizations, because what’s more important is that people have voiced their opinions and apparently many are still skeptical about the government initiatives,” he said.
Azman was referring to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman’s statement recently in which he welcomed Suhakam’s initiative to undertake a study on issues related to NCR.
Musa was quoted as saying that the state government was open to genuine feedback, constructive criticism and ideas regarding the issue of introducing the communal titles.
On June 23, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) suggested that many rural folks in Sabah who are recipients of communal titles were still vague about how these grants worked.
Suhakam commissioner, Jannie Lasimbang, was quoted as saying that while the people in general supported such an effort (communal title) to help develop the interior areas and improve the economy of the people, the “hasty” implementation resulted in many details being overlooked.
Suhakam had held consultation sessions of its National Inquiry on the Customary Land Rights of Sabah Indigenous People in Keningau, Tenom and Penampang, in which communal titles was one of the important issues raised by the people.
Azman said, being a lawyer, many rural people, especially in the interior district of Keningau, had sought his opinion on the rationale behind communal titles and how it might affect the rights and future of Sabah’s indigenous people.
“Their fear is mostly based on assumption that the communal grants might not protect their rights and future as it was deemed to be seen as outside the “spirit” of NCR but based on “joint-ventures” with certain government linked-companies (GLC).
“It’s good that the government is taking responsive attitude on this matter, as this could help Federal leaders, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, to understand better, what’s really happening in Sabah, especially regarding land issues,” he said.
About 1,400 heads of families had received communal titles for land covering an area of 3,650ha that will be developed by Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) with oil palm and other crops to help the poor villagers in this interior district. – Bernama