Logging concessionaire Quality Concrete Holding's attempt to criminalise the actions of a native defending his land was dealt a blow.
SIMUNJAN: A native activist from the Sebangan/Sebuyau area in Sarawak was today acquitted of a charge of criminal intimidation brought against him by logging company Quality Concrete Holdings, owned by Taib Mahmud’s sister Raziah.
Numpang anak Suntai, leader of native customary rights (NCR) land defenders in the Sebangan/Sebuyau area, was discharged by the magistrate’s court here.
Magistrate Sharizat Ismail ruled that the prosecution failed to put up a prima facie case against Numpang.
Numpang was represented by Baru Bian, See Chee How and Desmond Kho.
More than 200 of Numpang supporters and landowners were present at the court.
On Oct 22 last year, Numpang and another well-known activist Nicholas Mujah and five other longhouse chiefs were arrested in connection with a fire that occurred on Oct 18.
The fire had allegedly destroyed the campsite of a logging company, Loyal Billion Sdn Bhd, a contractor of the licence-holder Quality Concrete Holdings.
Six tractors, two logging trucks, a pick-up and an excavator were damaged which the company estimated to be worth more than RM2 million.
The seven were detained for three days in the police station here, but were later released on police bail of RM1,000.
Native victory
Only Numpang was charged following a report by a company manager.
Their arrests had been condemned by non-governmental organisations and had also attracted the attention of international organisations.
Wnen contacted, Numpang described his discharge and acquittal as a “victory” for Iban landowners “against the most powerful cronies of the chief minister”.
Quality Concrete Holdings has been in the centre of a dispute after the state Forestry Department issued it a licence to carry out logging in 3,305 hectares of forest area which the native claimed to be part of their NCR land.
The company then handed over the contract works to Loyal Billion to extract timber believed to be among the best rainforest species in Sarawak.
The value of the timber is said to be worth around RM250 million.
When negotiations between the Ibans and the companies failed and their complaints to the authorities also fell on deaf ears, the native decided to act.
On Oct 14, they mounted blockades to stop the company workers from entering the communal forests.
They also stopped a “tongkang” from loading timber that had been extracted from the disputed area.
Recently, the natives led by Numpang filed a civil suit against Raziah and her company.
Photo courtesy of Hornbill Unleashed
