Some native chiefs have acted as traitors: NGO
Published on: Wednesday, July 01, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Native Landowners and Developers Association (Sanloda) appreciates the Chief Minister's statement that the Government will plug the loopholes to protect native rights to all Native Title (NT) lands in Sabah and safeguard it for future generations.Its Sec-Gen. Datuk Stephen Sondoh said the illegal use of bogus Native Certificates or Sijil Anak Negeri was the result of selfish actions by some corrupted individuals in some Native Courts in Sabah."For the payment of some monetary fees, these individuals do not realise that their action is akin to selling off the rights of their fellow native people, not only in the district that they came from but also in other districts in Sabah.
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"This was proven by the reported case of an individual who got his illegal Sijil Anak Negeri in Kota Marudu and was brought for investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). It was used to purchase some 300 NT lands with a total area of more than 1,000 hectares."This is no ordinary individual as he had the means and capability to buy so many lands in various districts in Sabah," said Sondoh in a statement, Tuesday.He said the action of just one District Chief or Native Chief in Kota Marudu resulted in many natives losing their lands."This sort of modus operandi by outsiders especially from Sarawak and/or non-natives within the State itself, have been highlighted in the press before but regretfully such things are still going on," he said.
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He said it was therefore high time that such illegal transfer of NT lands to non bona fide buyers be stopped once and for all by the government, especially by the District Office or at the District Land Office level."If the acquisition of the NT lands were secured by proven bogus SAN (hence a bogus native), then the said NT lands should be returned to its original native owner, since there is already a precedent case whereby an NT land in Kampung Nosoob Penampang was reverted to the original owner," he said.
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Sanloda also called on all District Officers in Sabah to be extra vigilant and be very strict when it involved any transfer of NT lands."They must check the transfer procedure to ensure that such illegal transactions of transfers are stopped. District Office must help to protect the native rights on NT lands."Land offices must not condone illegal acts but act to prevent such transfer especially any transfer that involved illegally possessed SAN. Land offices must counter check with their counterparts in other districts and with the Native Court involved, whether the certificate is genuine or not," he said.In this regard, Sanloda urged the relevant authorities to issue an immediate directive to all Native Courts and District Offices to publish a list of all the Native Certificates that had been issued in their respective district and office."Only this way, can there be transparency and a proper record for the public and authorities to refer and scrutinise who has been issued with a Native Certificate since its official inception," he said.Sondoh said a genuine native actually does not need the Native Certificate to buy NT lands or open up an Amanah Saham Bumiputra account.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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