Pairin denies govt bulldozed its way
Friday, 1 December 2006 (Source: Daily Express)

KOTA KINABALU -- Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan denied that the government has bulldozed its way to implement the Mini Estet Sejahtera (Mesej) programme in Kampung Bunang, Sook.

The Rural Development Minister said since approval had been obtained from the Land and Survey Department the activities carried out by his Ministry or agent in the area were legal.

Winding up for his Ministry at the State Legislative Assembly near here Thursday, Pairin said while he was appreciative of the comments on the Mesej programme he had to explain issues, especially those raised by Sook Assemblyman Tan Sri Joseph Kurup pertaining to the programme in his constituency.

Mesej Kampung Bunang, Sook is on a 100 hectare area and is part of the 1,050-acre that had been identified for the programme to eradicate poverty covering Sook, Liawan and Bingkor.

The 100-hectare area is for the development of oil palm and not inclusive of the settlement area for the programme participants, he said.

However, Kurup in his budget debate speech had disputed the move since there were already settlers there who had been occupying the land and developing it for a number of years.

According to Pairin, the proposal to gazette the 1,050-acre land was approved by the Keningau District Land Utilisation Committee (LUC) on Aug 10 last year, which was also attended by Kurup.

At this juncture, Kurup stood up and asked Pairin, who was at first was reluctant to give way:

"Is it not normal for officers from the relevant agencies to attend discussions on land application at the district LUC meeting? Secondly, when we (assemblymen) attend these meetings, is it not possible for us to be influenced by the reports from the various agencies' officers? Answer yes or no. That's all".

However, Pairin said he was not interested to be dragged into a debate as to whether he (Kurup) was influenced because what he wanted to do was to explain the actual situation in this case.

"If you don't give me chance to talk how can I explain myself," Kurup retorted.

"So what say you?," asked Deputy Speaker Datuk James Vitalis to Pairin. "No I am not giving way to him," said Pairin.

Pairin continued with his speech that a check by the Land and Survey Department in April this year following a directive by the Chief Minister who received the objections and call for a review had shown that the situation on the ground was not like what it had been claimed.

Among others the report stated the land belongs to the government and had been alienated under the land application under the Safoda Sook Extension project.

At the same time, he said a visit by the Land and Survey Department officers from the headquarters and Keningau together with the Assistant Collector of Land Revenue (ACLR) to the area on April 25, 2006 found that there were illegal clearings in the Mesej area, which included shifting cultivation.

Again, Kurup interrupted and insisted that Pairin give him the chance to speak up on the matter but was again denied.

"Records of the Land and Survey Department show that the land is untitled and rightfully considered as vacant for the programme under the poorest household heads (KIRT) so what is there to say," said Pairin.

He said he believed Kurup knew the meaning of 'free from encumbrances' to being legitimate based on the relevant laws and he was confident of the accuracy of the report and professionalism of the Land and Survey Department as custodian of the laws.

"Unless, the Sook YB considers the interest of the hardcore poor people deserves lesser degree of attention I don't see the logic, for the people who the Land and Survey Department has stated as having no rights to the land, to set aside those acknowledged by the government as in dire need of assistance," he said.

Pairin said by using the term, Robin Hood, Kurup himself had admitted that the group of people who had cleared the land are wealthy.

He said contrary to Kurup's claim there was no social injustice here.

"The government of this era not only is not practising the Robin Hood policy but will also not allow the first-come-first-served policy especially pertaining to land issues," he said.

In this respect, Pairin hoped the elected representatives would render their fullest cooperation and understanding especially in prioritising the project for the sake of the abject poor.

In another note, he said the 18km Ovai-Kaiduan road upgrading project was not included in the rural road programme under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) but would be referred to the authorities for due consideration under the mid-term review.

Responding to Kawang Assemblyman, Datuk Ghulam Haidar Badar Khan, Pairin said his Ministry would be requesting the Federal government to conduct studies on the possibility of building a mini-hydro in Kaiduan River, Kawang.

This is to assist in boosting the capacity of power supply in the area, he said.