'Taib, if he is sincere, must stop acquisition of Bako'

Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen has accused long-serving billionaire Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud of playing with words pertaining to over 3000 acres of land in Bako, about 60km from Kuching.

"There is no sincerity on his part in solving the problems faced by the landowners," Chong (left) added, in commenting on Taib's statement last Friday that he would free the land from falling under Section 47 of the Sarawak Land Code.

Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching member of Parliament, said it is wrong for Taib to say that the land has been frozen under that section, which is a notification of a possible intention of the government to use the land, as the actual acquisition is under Sections 48 and 49.

"Once Section 48 is imposed, the land is said to have been acquired by the government. So I don't know whether he purposely stated Section 47 to free the land, but avoid mentioning annulment of the acquisition under Section 48.

"If he is sincere in wanting to solve the problems faced by the Bako landowners, then he must do two things.

"He should annul the acquisition, and once this is done, he should extend the leases immediately to some of the land which is going to expire next year," Chong said.

He said the land would be taken over by the government once the leases have expired, without any compensation to the owners.

Chong, who is the State Assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa, said the land has been placed under Section 48 for 30 years.

 Frozen by government

"The owners can't do anything to their land as it has been frozen by the government," he said, adding that the land has remained idle since the imposition of Section 48.

 Chong alleged that Taib was hiding something when he was referring to Section 47 when addressing a Chinese New Year gathering organised by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Kuching on February 27.

"We must bear mind that he was trained in land law. He surely understands the difference between Sections 47 and 48, and whether he is deliberately playing with words to confuse the public, only he himself knows," he said.

"He is trying to pacify the public in the light of the upcoming state elections," he opined.

Chong said Taib had caused concern to the landowners that they would have to develop their lands, once the freeze had been lifted, in accordance with the government's master plan and by private sector companies chosen by the government.

"The owners must surely want to know which companies are involved. The government should leave the matter for the landowners to decide on their property," he said.

He feared that the private sector would dictate terms to the landowners under joint venture agreements.

At the Chinese New Year gathering, Taib had stated that master plan for the area would be made public very soon.
He stated that the land would be developed by the private sector.

"I do not want to spend the government's money unnecessarily, and I want the people to understand that I do things correctly because only orderly development can guarantee the country's prosperity," he had said.

Under the master plan, he stated the land in Bako would be turned into industrial and residential areas.

For years, in fact since Taib became chief minister in 1981, the landowners have cried foul over the acquisition of their land by the government under Section 48 of the Sarawak Land Code.

The lands were supposed to be used for an industrial park under the government's industrial master plan in the Bako peninsula, but they have remained idle.