KUCHING: The Sarawak government is willing to engage with Lun Bawang landowners affected by the proposed Ulu Trusan Protected Forest (UTPF) in Lawas, says Ba'Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian.
The Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) lawmaker said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg indicated the government's willingness to consult the people to determine the areas that needed to be excised and preserved as well as their native customary rights (NCR) over land.
"This is a welcome move and I assured the Chief Minister of my willingness to coordinate a dialogue and consultation between the government and the people of Ba'Kelalan.
"This engagement with the landowners is what should have been done before the proposal was made, but it is not too late to do so now, and I wish to thank the Chief Minister for his openness in this matter," he said in a statement after presenting a petition objecting to the UTPF to Abang Johari on Friday (Feb 18).
Baru was accompanied by Sarawak Lun Bawang Association president Robin Lusong to hand over the petition, which was signed by over 1,000 members of the Lun Bawang community whose land would be affected by the UTPF.
Also present were state Natural Resources and Urban Development Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Zaidi Mahdi and state Forest Department director Datuk Hamden Mohammad.
"Both were amenable to the proposal to engage with the people and I am looking forward to liaising with them on the arrangements," Baru said.
Earlier this month, Baru said the proposed UTPF involving an area of 118,163ha would affect about 36 Lun Bawang villages.
He estimated that two-thirds of the Lun Bawang community would lose their NCR land if the proposal went ahead.
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