Betong villagers lodged police report against Jabu over imposition of section 6 on their NCR lands

BETONG, April 20, 2016 -Two PKR election candidates today led a group of villagers to lodge a report against Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang at the district police headquarhers here this afternoon.

Vernon Aji Kedit, candidate for Layar, and Noel Changgai Bucking, candidate for Bukit Saban, led the huge group of 63 Iban headmen and their supporters in lodging multiple police reports.

The police reports alleged that Jabu failed to discharge his duty as their Barisan Nasional  assemblyman for Layar and Deputy Chief Minister in reasonably informing them that their NCR lands were converted into State Land by way of Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.

 "We would like the police to take this matter seriously and investigate why we were not properly informed of the ramifications of Section 6, the gist of which is that our NCR lands have effectively become State Land pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Land Code," said Tuai Rumah Brundie anak Lindang of Batu Pesok longhouse in the Spak.  

Another longhouse chief Mambi anak Unjie from Pelepok said when the people from Lands & Survey Department came to perimeter survey their land several years ago, they chased the officials away.

"But now our longhouse is named in the list of longhouses along the Padeh that have been gazetted under Section 6," he said.

 "Why did Jabu, the representative of the Barisan Nasional government, not seek our consent first before perimeter surveying our lands? This is an offence and we want the police to investigate this matter seriously," demanded Mambi.

The police reports were made by Brundie anak Lindang, Mambi anak Unjie, Ambu anak Kadukom, Timang anak Geramong, Bundan anak Imai, Nelfrus Samban anak Ednin Unjie, Anjan anak Pagah, Meng anak Lambat, Gan anak Jembau, Manggang anak Amban, Linggie anak Lamat from all over Layar, Padeh and Spak.

Before the police reports were made, a closed door meeting was held at the Betong PKR Service Centre between the Betong landowners and NCR land law expert Baru Bian and Iban customs expert Nicholas Bawin.

Also present was Ali Biju, PKR candidate for Krian, who explained to the landowners his experience in defending land rights in the Sarawak State Assembly during his term from 2011 to 2016.