The story
In 2008, a license was issued to a company to build palm oil plantations over an area of land encompassing 21 villages at the foothills. This included Kampung Giam (where we were) and Git (just next to Giam).
The villagers, wishing to protect their land from this invasion, applied to the Land and Survey Department (LSD) for formal certification of their NCR land. However, while the LSD had received the application, they also issued a new timber license for the very same plot of land!
Interviewing Kidat, the headman of Kampung Git, he told us representatives had approached him alone to sign an agreement for the timber licence. He felt that the timber company was not really after his kampung's land but rather, looking to obtain signatures from leaders within the area for the logging to proceed on a larger scale. In addition, Kampung Giam serves as an entry point for the loggers as it is near the road and on the periphery of the licence.
"There isn't much timber in our land - are they going to log our fruit and rubber trees? I don't think so," Kidat said. He also said he refused to sign the agreement without consensus from his villagers.
There was no incident for a while after, until the company turned up with tractors, trucks and chainsaws in tow. In the ensuing conflict, villagers blocked the workers and contractors from entering. The company claimed they had the right to enter based on a list of signatures in an agreement - but upon inspection of this, they found forged signatures and even those of long deceased villagers! The villagers lodged a report with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision. Since then, the loggers have come three times, and each time they were barricaded out and denied entry.
The villages are faced with a tough situation: their NCR over the land is seemingly disregarded, the loggers are trespassing and using corrupt measures in an attempt to exploit the villagers. Despite this, the two leaders felt it was not right to take the judicial route and sue the state in court. They are quite happy handling the situation 'guerilla' style on the ground - stopping the loggers as they come. However, it is crucial that they realise the importance of securing their native customary right over the land, because ultimately, their fate is in the hands of those in power.
In 2008, a license was issued to a company to build palm oil plantations over an area of land encompassing 21 villages at the foothills. This included Kampung Giam (where we were) and Git (just next to Giam).
The villagers, wishing to protect their land from this invasion, applied to the Land and Survey Department (LSD) for formal certification of their NCR land. However, while the LSD had received the application, they also issued a new timber license for the very same plot of land!
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| Victor showing Ai Fern the areas affected by the plantation and logging licenses |
"There isn't much timber in our land - are they going to log our fruit and rubber trees? I don't think so," Kidat said. He also said he refused to sign the agreement without consensus from his villagers.
There was no incident for a while after, until the company turned up with tractors, trucks and chainsaws in tow. In the ensuing conflict, villagers blocked the workers and contractors from entering. The company claimed they had the right to enter based on a list of signatures in an agreement - but upon inspection of this, they found forged signatures and even those of long deceased villagers! The villagers lodged a report with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commision. Since then, the loggers have come three times, and each time they were barricaded out and denied entry.
The villages are faced with a tough situation: their NCR over the land is seemingly disregarded, the loggers are trespassing and using corrupt measures in an attempt to exploit the villagers. Despite this, the two leaders felt it was not right to take the judicial route and sue the state in court. They are quite happy handling the situation 'guerilla' style on the ground - stopping the loggers as they come. However, it is crucial that they realise the importance of securing their native customary right over the land, because ultimately, their fate is in the hands of those in power.
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