'Blatant liar' Naroden under fire

Naroden Majais, assistant minister of planning and resource management, who denied that the government has taken native customary rights land, has now been identified as the biggest taker of NCR land leased by the government in Simunjan.

“Naroden is a blatant liar to say that the government has never taken NCR land because he himself through eight companies is the biggest taker of NCR land,” said Nicholas Mujah, secretary- general of the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association.

“In fact Naroden himself is among Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s cronies who have been given large areas of NCR land in and around Gedong and Simunjan for the planting of oil palm.

“He is the one colluding with the companies,” he added.

Mujah said that according to the 2005 Report of Land and Survey Department, Naroden had shares in eight companies operating in Simunjan and Gedong areas.

Many of the people who become victims of this land grabbing are Ibans and Malays, some of them are not only his supporters, but also his relatives, he said.

Naroden is the state assemblyman for Simunjan.

According to the 2005 Reports of the Land and Survey Department, a total of 16,486 hectares of land, the bulk of it NCR land, was given to the assistant minister-linked companies, namely:

Pelita Nirwana Muhibbah S/B given lease to develop 4,555 hectares of land at Tanjong Midin, Serian; Gedong Plantation S/B given lease to develop 3,770 hectares at Lot 2981, Batang Karang, Gedong; Gedong Plantation S/B given lease to develop 3480 hectares at Lot 2980, Gedong;

Hydroflow S/B was given 2182 hectares at Lot 1226 at Batang Sadong; Hydroflow S/B was given 593 hectares at Lot 1227 at Lubuk Teba, Gedong; Indranika Jaya S/B was given 189 hectares at Lot 1228 at Tanjung Embang, Simunjan; and Indranika S/B was given 1717 hectares at Tanjung Sap, Simunjan.

'More companies that you don't know about'

Mujah said that some of the Malays in Gedong, inlcuding Naroden's relatives, are suing Melor Gemilang for taking away their land. Naroden is alleged to have shares in the company.

“These are what you know, but there are more companies you do not know about,” said Mujah, who is also a member of the steering committee of Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Malaysian network of indigenous people).

He cited an example of Orang Asli land being taken by the previous government of Selangor but after Pakatan Rakyat took over, the government revoked the case and returned the land to the owners.

“I stand to be challenged in court to prove that Naroden has shares in these companies,” Mujah said, and urged the assistant minister to revoke all the pending NCR land cases in court in to save people’s time, money and concern.

Mujah said Naroden was reported to be the richest man in Simunjan to the point that he is locally known as the “king of oil palm in Simunjan.”

“How can he tell lie when there are more than 200 court cases whereby the natives are suing the government for taking away their land?” he asked.

courtesy of FMT