Department explains Ranau land dispute

The issue in conflict is that the affected villagers are claiming NCR over the 1,110 acres of land held by a Peninsular Malaysia-based company and have since taken the matter to Court.

KOTA KINABALU: The Land and Survey Department (LSD) has clarified that it did not approve any land application by a Peninsular Malaysia-based company claiming ownership of disputed NCR land in three Ranau villages where it allegedly hired over 100 illegals last week to forcible take  ownership of the property.

LSD Director Osman Jamal explained in a statement that 2,000 acres in the disputed area was in fact applied for by the then Beluran Assemblyman Ajad Oyong in 1977 “but only 1,110 acres was approved to him in 2001 and the title issued in 2011”.

“The land was sold to the company by the late owner’s son,” said Osman. “This is the area also occupied by the three kampungs known as Mawasi i.e. Malinsou, Wayan and Sinurai.”

He was commenting on a statement by Ranau MP Ewon Ebin that he will take up the matter with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Osman assured that the Sabah government was very concerned about the Orang Asal and their land rights and pointed out that Ajad did not get all the 2,000 acres he wanted. “It’s not true that the Sabah government is grabbing NCR land from the Orang Asal,” he added.

He disclosed that the LSD would have a meeting with the company concerned, Syarikat Worthy, Kundasang Assemblyman Joachim Gunsalam and Ranau District Officer Faimin Kamin to work out a win-win solution.

“We can arrange for 400 acres of the land to be alienated, as proposed by Joachim, to the affected villagers as NCR but this depends on an investigative survey and discussions with the company concerned,” said Osman. “We have written to the company to stop all work on the land pending a solution.”

“The land being held by the company is under country lease title and it has a writ of possession from the Court.”

The issue in conflict, stressed Osman, is that the affected villagers are claiming NCR over the 1,110 acres of land obtained by the late Ajad and have since taken the matter to Court.