Shafie Apdal
SANDAKAN: About 2,000 small farmers in Ladang Bagahak 2 and 3 in Lahad Datu who have been fighting for the land where they have lived for the past 40 to 50 years finally had their prayers answered after the State Government granted them the 6,900 hectares.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal said the land was developed as commercial palm oil estate with the assistance of government-linked company (GLC) Sawit Kinabalu Group since 1996.
The farmers took 12 years to claim for the land, but the problem was solved when the State Cabinet decided to return the land to the farmers last month.
The grant was presented symbolically to the small farmers by Shafie during the launching of GOLD cooking oil produced by Sawit Kinabalu Group and Syarikat Intipati Minyak Sdn Bhd, here, yesterday.
Shafie said in order to compensate Sawit Kinabalu Group for the land, the State Government had given the group 18,000 hectares of land.
“We have a lot of plans for the development of this land. Sawit Kinabalu Group will be planting various crops including rice and coconut. We will also look into developing downstream factories for the crops,” he said.