26 Apr 2024, 01:13 Kuching
25 Apr 2024, 18:13 London
It was a windfall for 216 participants from Sungai Sebubu, Sungai Sebatu, Long Ekang, Long Banyok and Longan Sibong as they received Amanah Saham Sarawak (Assar) dividends amounting to RM355,230.30 through development of their NCR lands by LCDA and Rimbunan Sawit. “It is worthwhile to invest or in allowing the private sector to open and develop our native customary rights land. Rather than leaving it idle when we can get something out from it. “It is hard to believe that we can get this amount of money from our land,” said one of the participants.
“I can assure that the land would (still) remain or belong to us and not as claimed by certain group and the opposition,” he added, hoping that more NCR land owners will open their eyes and develop their land without hesitation. The ceremony was held at the plantation office in Tinjar, Baram by Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau. “Rather than leaving the land idle as a playground for monkeys and wild animals, it would be worth it if the land is developed to generate income.
“Don’t doubt development when it can initiate projects to bring socio-economic change,” said Dennis who reminded skeptical owners not to listen to claims that they risk losing the land if it were to be developed by the government or private sectors.
Now we have the proof. BN politicians are useful for something after all and this was proved by an item in the Borneo Post about “dividend” payments from Pelita Ekong-Banyok Plantation. According to the report over RM355,000 was paid out to 216 people. As the report did NOT say, that amounts to some RM1645 per person. It also did not say for what period the “dividend” was paid nor if any other dividends had ever been paid so we can assume there have been none. The “dividend”, a misnomer if ever there was one, was a payment in respect of NCR land reported as belonging to the “dividend” recpients. No acreage was given so, as a statistic, the “dividend” total is either meaningless or deliberately misleading. Maybe (but most probably not) the Post will publish these missing details so its readers can judge if this is yet another BN scam.
To turn to that part of the report covering the remarks of a local State Assemblyman Dennis Ngau. “Don’t doubt development when it can….bring socio-economic change” Why should we when it can so clearly be seen how it has brought such change to Dennis. “The Government has no avarice to take away what belongs to the people” he said. News no doubt to his master Taib who, with hs cronies, has stolen 95% of Sarawak’s forests for personal gain.
Even more cynically Dennis continued “In fact they (the NCR landowners) were given the land deed or assured of their rights to the land once they agreed to participate in the scheme” In other words they would have had it confiscated if they had not; and probably still will. Dennis added that there were now better roads and opportunities to do business. He forgot to add that this had been paid for by the taxpayer and that the “business opportunities” would be for him and his friends not the “shareholders” With all his experience with belian concessions given to him and his family by Taib he should certainly know how to use a business opportunity when he sees one!
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