Kemabong landowner takes drastic action
Published on: Tuesday, December 28, 2021
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The road that was blocked or closed by Helen and her family.
Tenom: A landowner here is appealing to the Public Works Department (JKR) and the Land and Survey Department (JTU) to help settle an 18-year claim for compensation for several acres that were acquired for a road to be built near Pekan Kemabong, here.Helen Chai, 47, who is the daughter of Peter Chai Thain Fook and claimed to own the land, hoped the matter could be resolved soon as possible.
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Since the claim for the compensation has not been attended for over 18 years, she and her family closed the road since early this month that connects Pekan Kemabong to some villages.
“On behalf of my parents and family, we apologise to all road users, villagers and relatives for our actions to close the road for three hours only that has caused anger among the road users.
“We lodged a police report. We only prevent any motorists from passing through the road because it belongs to our late father,” she said.
Helen said they had no choice as the claim for compensation as promised by the relevant authorities was not coming.
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She said the road connects that Kemabong big bridge to Pekan Kemabong and the main road to the village as well as involving seven schools namely SMK Kemabong SK Kemabong, SK Kapulu, SK Kolorok, SK Rundum, SK Gumisi, SK Sumambu and a Kemabong Health Clinic.
She added they are aware many people especially road users are angry, cursing and insulting them, including mentioning the name of their deceased father.
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She said they understood the people’s anger but the road was allowed to be shared with them.
Thus, she said they are hoping the people can understand their reason for closing the road for three hours on daily basis.
According to Helen, when the land area was taken up by a developer, they were not informed and only the villagers informed them of such shocking development. At that time, she said her mother was teaching in another school.
“After we stopped the developer from carrying out work on the land, JKR arrived and promised to sign an agreement with us, the next day.
“But it was just lip service. No letter or agreement was signed by us and the concerned authorities since we closed the road for public use.
“Since my father was alive, we have been constantly going to the JKR office here to address the matter and even at district level until to the top level. But there has been no action from the department to issue the compensation payment to us,” she said.
In fact, Helen said their orchard and land in the area were cleared on Oct 29, this year, and the developer/contractor did not bring any letter to validate their works. Without our knowledge, installation of cable was carried out on our orchard.
“When we met the contractor to ask about the clearing work, he told us there was a permission letter from JKR, and before they started work.
“I referred this matter to a JKR officer in charge of this project but there was no convincing answer and no letter from the officer. We decided to impose a road closure the next day,” she said.
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