Police report against Tabung Haji over destruction of school compound

KUCHING, Nov 13, 2014: Shocked and angry, a village headman Sipi Narang lodged a police report against Tabung Haji plantation over the destruction of the compound of Sekolah Kebangsaan Semalatong, Ulu Simunjan, late last month.

In his report, the headman said about 5ha of the school land, including its fenced compound, was encroached and destroyed the TH, a Malayan-based plantation company.

He said TH had cleared the land for the purpose of planting oil palm.

Sipi, who is the headman of Kampung Sungai Semabang, said the land was formerly a native customary rights land and was given free of charge by Kampung Isu, Kampung Semalatong and Kampung Sungai Semabang to the school many years ago.

Incidentally, TH is being sued by the villagers for encroachment into their NCR land. The case is pending before the court.

The villagers have engaged the service of a well-known law firm, Baru Bian & Advocates, to fight for their case against TH, Land Custody and Development Authority and State government.

Tabung Haji is the biggest oil palm plantation operator in Simunjan.

"Tabung Haji is more interested to make money at the expense of and the welfare of the  school and the schoolchildren," said Sipi.

"This is really too much," he said.

Sipi, accompanied by Wakil Tuai  Rumah Ajin Anak Mumin,  lodged a police report against Tabung Haji, a school teacher and the chairperson and members  of the school's parent-teacher association and two community leaders for being involved in the 'grabbing' of the school compound.

The report was lodged at the Simunjan police station on Oct 29, 2014.

The school has more than 100 pupils.

They also want the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ministry of Education to investigate the school teacher and the parent-teacher association as there could be abuse of power and corruption.

The longhouse residents accused them of conspiring with Tabung Haji to take away  the school compound, Sip[i and Ajin said.

The state Education Department has sent officers to investigate the claim and works on the school compound has since stopped.

The police had referred the report to the Education Department to take further action and that TH had been told that a police report had been lodged against them.