Allow 3 villages in Ranau to remain: NGO
Published on: Saturday, October 25, 2014
PENAMPANG: The government should allow the people of Kg. Malinsau, Kg. Wayan and Kg. Sinurai in Ranau to remain where they are instead of proposing a win-win solution which requires them to be relocated, according to Angkatan Gabungan Rakyat Asli Sabah (Agaras). Agaras President Michael Frederick said the proposal of finding a win-win solution that includes delineating the areas that have been planted with crops by the villagers out of the 1,200 acres claimed by a company should not arise. "Such solution is unsuitable and unfair to villages because where will the villagers go, when all this time they have stayed there and have been trying to get a land title over the past 36 years," he said here on Thursday.
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Also present were his Vice President 3 Patrick Sadom, Deputy President 3 Ahzveens @ Hilary Akian and Agaras Secretary Winis Juani. Frederick claimed that the people have planted crops such as rubber trees which are as old as 10 to 25 years and durian trees as well as built their homes on the land, adding that their deceased family members are also buried on the land. "Why is it so difficult for the Land and Survey Department to approve the land application made by the villagers but so easy for them to give such approval to the company?" he questioned. He claimed that he was made to understand there is still a huge portion of State land next to the three villages and that 4,100 hectares have been approved to a company.
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"Since there is still plenty of land next to the villages, I propose that a new area be given to the company and that the people be allowed to remain where they are now," he said. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Ewon Ebin said the relevant authorities are working on a win-win solution that includes delineating the areas that have been planted with crops by the villagers out of the 1,200 acre land claimed by the company.
