Taib’s sister incurs natives’ wrath
Villagers lodge police report against logging company owned by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s sister Raziah.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Twenty-four longhouse folk representing 14 longhouses and villages have lodged police reports against Quality Concrete Sdn Bhd and its contractor Loyal Billion Sdn Bhd at the Sungai Maong police station for alleged cheating.
The reports were lodged on behalf of some 200 villagers who claimed that they were cheated when they were coerced into signing the deed and undertaking to Loyal Billion. They claimed many of them are illiterate.
The deed and undertaking signed between Loyal Billion and the natives allowed the company to enter and log timber in the natives’ native customary rights (NCR) land and “pulau galau” (communal forests).
Each of the family was given RM250 upon signing the deed and undertaking.
The Quality Concrete company, which is owned by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s sister Raziah, is the licence holder to extract timber from 3,305 hectares of communal forests in the Sebangan/Sebuyau area and has given the contract to Loyal Billion to extract timber.
Last week at the Kuching High Court, the natives were granted an interim injunction against Quality Concrete, Loyal Billion, Penghulu Merum and Agu Anak Kaleng to stop them from entering the area.
‘Natives exploited’
Loyal Billion is, however, filing its defence against the injunction next week and has passed the deed and undertaking and other evidence to lawyers representing the natives, saying that it has obtained the rights to enter and log timber in the area.
“When we look through the deed and undertaking, it is obvious that the natives have been exploited and their ignorance of the law and their illiteracy were taken advantage of,” said Numpang Anak Suntai, spokesperson for the natives who was present at the police station.
“Some complained that they never signed the deed and undertaking, but others signed on their behalf,” said Numpang.
