LEADER of the Kadazandusun and Murut people in Sabah, Tan Sri Joseph Pairin, today called on the state to form a task force to resolve land disputes involving the indigenous communities.
He said it was already a sign of desperation when indigenous communities hand over memorandums and make appeals to the state government, governor, prime minister, and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to resolve these land issues.
“While I deeply sympathise with their plight, it is to be acknowledged that the state has the authority and responsibility to resolve the issues.
“My role here is to receive their memorandum and appeal, not to ignore their plight, and provide the relevant assistance.”
It is also noted that this matter has been brought not only to the state but also to the federal government, and not only the state governor but also the king, said Pairin in Penampang today.
Pairin, who is also a former Sabah chief minister and held the title of “Huguan Siou”, said this after receiving a petition and memorandum from the villages from six Sabah districts through the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO).
Last Friday, MHO, led by its state coordinator Jerry Jaimeh, gathered at the KadazanDusun Cultural Hall in Penampang along with 200 villagers from six districts to compel Pairin to help resolve the matter.
The villagers from Tongod, Tawau, Nabawan, Tenom, Keningau, and Ranau, were embroiled in disputes ranging from communal titles to eviction from their ancestral lands.
Pairin, who is the KadazanDusun Cultural Association (KDCA) president, noted that each problem varies and requires specific win-win solutions and a task force to resolve the disputes case-by-case.
He said the Sabah government abolished the communal title scheme in 2018 and the indigenous rights to claim native customary rights after settling on a land over a period of time.
The communal title introduced in 2010 was scrapped on August 8, 2018, while Section 15(e) and Section 65 of the Sabah Land Ordinance stipulate that any state land cultivated or developed within three years can be recognized as native customary rights.
“It is necessary to take seriously the issues raised so that they can be considered within the framework of laws and policies that protect the rights of the citizens.
“Matters related to land are usually longstanding, and this is why there has been resentment towards the government, which should love and care for its people.
“The policy aims to address issues such as poverty and all social problems. Particularly, it focuses on the ownership of land by Bumiputera or indigenous people, which is also related to ancestral entitlement,” he said. – The Vibes, January 15, 2023
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