Would I Still Believe in Protocol?

Amde Sidek

I started my little journey to the Land Office in Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival at the new building I approached the receptionists (three of them) at the counter, ground floor of the building.

‘I would like to make an appointment to see the Pengarah’ I asked. They pointed to the direction which I saw a big room partially glass wall and glass door (picture above). Inside there are many counters divided according to sections or units of the department. I picked a queue slip from the machine provided and sit down waiting for my number to be called.

Number called. I was asked why I wanted to see pengarah, a guy handed me a white form. ‘Please fill up you’ve to see Jane (not the real name), only if she allows you to see Pengarah’ then you can go, he said.

Form filled up, back to the earlier counter to find out where would I go next. They said go up by the lift at eight floors.

Eight floor where the Pengarah’s room is, huge lobby area, I saw a few people but no one wanted to say hi, they probably were waiting for Pengarah as well. I went to a room, which looks like a waiting room, no one around, another room on the right, I saw two ladies, one was standing up, and one was sitting down.

‘Good morning, may I ask, where can I find Jane?’ I asked. ‘ I’m Jane, what is it?’ she replied.

I’ve met lot of strangers in my life. I visited almost all continents in the world. I had come cross all sorts of characters; some people are prejudice over another, some discriminating and racist in nature. With that experience it made me thick somehow but if it happens in my own country I may not be that patient.

Was asked by Jane why did I want to see Pengarah. I told her there is a little thing that I wanted to know if I could get a chance to meet the Pengarah. It’s about the news report appeared in the newspapers Kadayan’s land sold to another Kadayan but acting as proxy for foreigners according to newspapers, I said.

She looked at me from head to toe. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to describe more. I decided to show the press cutting, which is in my iPad.

‘Today, Pengarah is having full day meeting, tomorrow also full day meeting, next is also full day’

I told her I fully understood that Pengarah is a busy man. In that case I said, fix me any day of the week, any week of the month and any month of the year. Another strange look at me, ‘Give me your number will call’ she said.

‘Who calls?’ I asked, she repeated with -will call.

I do this for Kadayan folks in Sipitang who are anxious to know who actually owns the land, which is now undergoing clearance in Ulu Naparan. According newspaper report about 40 foreigners are preparing to settle here which makes many Sipitang people unhappy.

By the way until today, 8 days have passed, I still don’t receive any call as promised. Would I still believe in protocol? Will answer later.

Sabah Land Grabs

Corporate greed strikes again,villagers evicted

A well-connected company has destroyed their crops and forced villagers from their ancestral land.

KOTA MARUDU: The villagers have been tilling their land since colonial times but now they have to hang up their hoe and sickle because of corporate greed.

A company has moved into their ancestral land, bulldozed their fruit trees and crops and, to add insult to injury, tore down their houses.
The homeless villagers say the state government is working in cahoots with the company as all their pleas fell on deaf ears. Instead, the government wants to evict therm from their ancestral land.

The villagers of Kampung Tambisan complained that the state government had failed to help them and had allowed the company to demolish their houses and crops and forced them to leave the area.

They claim they have had the “native customary land title “ since British colonial times.

Ten native families brought their plight to the attention of PKR Kota Marudu chief Anthony Mandiu who said the families were unhappy with the company for pulling down their houses.

Mandiu said the villagers are now homeless and he also verified that the land occupied by the villagers is classified as NCR (native customary right) land.

He urged the authorities to investigate the land grab and to find out why such a small piece of land was forcibly taken away from the poor families.

He wants the government to explain why it had granted the company the right to evict poor native villagers who are already struggling to make a living.

According to business circles here , cases of land grab by powerful companies are rampant in the state.
They say large areas of land in Kota Marudu district in the north of the state have been taken over by companies, forcing villagers out of their NCR land.

Land grabs in Sabah are not just happening in Kota Marudu district but also in almost all other districts,” Mandiu said.

He said the BN-led state government must be taken to task for failing to take act against companies involved in grabbing ancestral land from locals.

By Michael Kaung from FMT

We want straight answer, says group

KOTA KINABALU: Association of Sabah National Type Chinese School Chairman, Datuk Wong Yit Ming said he raised the Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC) land issue for the interest of the Chinese community.

"I do not deny that I am a politician but I raised the issue up not to gain popularity as claimed by former SUCCC President, Datuk Sari Nuar," he said.
In a press conference here, Wong who is also Sabah Prosressive Party (SAPP) Treasurer-General, denied that he had political agenda when he brought up the issue.

"The lands given to SUCCC by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government 13 years ago was supposed to be used to earn revenue for the Chinese community so that it does not have to depend too much on the Government to resolve its financial problems.

"But we have not heard anything about the lands since then. The Chinese community is asking whether SUCCC is still in possession of the land or has it been sold," he said.

Wong said in 1998, the then Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee had approved 20,000 acres of land to SUCCC, KCCI and the Sabah Bumiputera Chambers of Commerce and industries.

Based on a 30:30:40 per cent distribution system, SUCCC's given 40 per cent of the 20,000 acres while KCCI ed SBCCI received 30 per cent each. The land has been planted with oil palm. SUCCC was also given another piece of 200,000 acres of FMU land for re-forestation activities.

According to Wong, SUCCC under the leadership of the late Tan Sri Wong Chik Lim, during Bejaya time, was allocated a 10,000 acres piece of land and they set up the Kinabalu Foundation with the revenue from the land.

"Every year, the Kinabalu Foundation gives close to RM1 million to the Chinese community in Sabah so we are just wondering if the two tracts of land have been generating any revenue and if yes, why have the Chinese community not benefited from it?" he asked.

On Sari's statement that he will expose Wong's wrongdoings for the last 30 years if the latter keeps harping on the issue, Wong challenged Nuar to report to the relevant authorities if he (Wong) had committed any wrongdoings.

'Please don't deviate from the issue and drag politics into it. Just tell the Chinese community what they want to know if the Chinese community will benefit from the land," he said.

By: Chris Maskilone (DE)

Farmers suffer due to damaged padi fields

BINGKOR assemblyman Justin Guka wants the related ministries to rectify issues over  the levelling of padi planting fields in the district which had been abandoned for years and causing Iocal farmers to lose their income.

He said some 150 padi planters from three villages are badly affected after the project initiated in 2009 was halted, leaving damaged fields unsuitable for planting the crop.

"The land owners involved are facing problems because they have not been able to plant their crops since the past three years," he said, urging the government to take immediate steps to remedy the situation.
Justin, who was debating on theHead of State's speech during the state assembly sitting here yesterday, said the project was implemented three years ago under the state's food security progamme to help increase the output of padi planters in the area.

However, he said the contractor entrusted with the project had bailed out after only 10 percent of th€work was completed as they did not have sufficient machineries and technical abilities to complete the job.
"This is the third year the planters could not use the land which have been damaged by the contractor involved." he added.

Justin, in requesting the authority concerned to look into the matter, also proposed compensation to be given to help ease the financial burden of the affected planters.
He also urged the govemment to explain to them measures that would be taken to undo the damage to their land and help them resume planting of the crop as soon as possible.

Source: The Borneo Post