Approximately 300 Ibans from seven longhouses in Simunjan, located in Sarawak’s Samarahan Division with longstanding contentions with plantation companies over alleged Native Customary Rights (NCR) lands encroachments, have decided to pursue their cause through legal means.

The decision was made at a ngiling tikai (end-of-Gawai-festival closing ceremony) cum dialogue at Rumah Sg Raya, 46 km from the Sri Aman-Simunjan road junction on Saturday.

Three companies - APT Fortune Sdn Bhd, Dakar Wijaya Sdn Bhd and Stayong Enterprise Sdn Bhd - have refused to recognise NCR zones within the areas leased out to them by the state government.

Prior proposals from the natives asking for a joint venture development - which would safeguard the NCR lands - with the oil palm plantation companies has been ignored, according to group spokesperson Tuai Rumah Ajang Wein, 59.

sarawak simunjan ncr land issues 140708 03 About a third of the 8,000 hectares leased in total to the companies is at stake.

A company search disclosed that almost all the directors of the companies are Sibu locals, and the company addresses are the same as that of Sarawak’s leading timber and oil plantation conglomerate Rimbunan Hijau (RH) in Sibu.

Over in Simunjan the land is collectively referred to as RH Group land.

'Paying us pittance'

Kuching-based Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) secretary-general Nicholas Mujah told Malaysiakini today that the seven longhouses are Keniong Jaya, Keniong Tengah ,Keniong Baru, Tebun Satu, Tebun Dua, Temiang and Kampung Sg Raya.

The residents of two other longhouses – Sengkalang and Sekgendu – who are similarly affected by land encroachment were in attendance and desired to join the suit. However, since their land is located outside the disputed areas, they would come under a second court filing.

Mujah disclosed that the Keniong road blockade up since June 27 is now unmanned after they reached a truce with a RH manager, to wait out for either an out-of-court settlement or court settlement.

He added that longhouse dwellers believe if the companies acknowledge their native customary rights ownership of some of the land and accept a mutually acceptably joint venture proposal, the matter would be resolved.

"They have also decided to appoint a Kuching- based lawyer to handle their case," added Mujah.

Mang Manggat, 53, a village head from Keniong told Malaysiakini that company officials had surreptitiously tried to get villagers to allow their NCR lands to be developed on an individual basis.

"We know for a fact they tried to entice some of our people to go down to Kuching, pay them some money and probably try to get them to sign some papers. It’s difficult to trust (these people) as they want to cheat us.

"I told them if they were genuine and sincere they should meet the whole village community and not only talk to one or two people from the longhouse and try to split us. It’s not going to work because we have decided the best course of action is to take them to court.

‘Imagine these people trying to pay a pittance (RM150) for us to surrender our NCR land!,’ Mang said.

'Surat Getah'

The large turnout was expected as most longhouse inhabitants in the area are affected by the NCR encroachments and they fear losing their valuable possession.

sarawak simunjan ncr land issues 140708 04 Inhabitants produced original letters of ' Surat Getah ' issued by the Brooke government way back in 1938 proving their claim.

PKR’ sole elected state representative Dominique Ng Kim Hoo - was shown the documents - when he officiated the ngiling tikai cum dialogue session at Rh Sg Raya on Saturday morning.

Ng was accompanied by two of the party’s local leaders Cobbold Lusoi and Ebi Uding.

During the dialogue, there were emotional speeches of what the land meant to the affected Ibans.

Ng, Cobbold and Ebi stated strongly that the only possible way to change state policies on NCR was to vote the incumbent government out in the next state elections, which was greeted with loud applause.

Many of the villagers also signed up as PKR members.