KANOWIT, May 16 (Bernama) -- Unsuspecting landowners participating in theKanowit Native Customary Right (NCR) oil palm plantation are being"robbed" of their land by a syndicate that sells it to equallyunsuspecting buyers, according to Assistant Land Development MinisterDatuk Gramong Juna.

He said Monday that preliminary investigations showed that some 90landowners had been "robbed" of 1,491.52 hectares.

Gramong told Bernama the Sibu-based syndicate's modus operandi was toforge the signatures of at least four Iban penghulus in the area as wellas a senior officer of the state Land Custody and Development Authority(LCDA) in the purported "memorandum of transfer" documents.

He said the buyers comprised a prominent community leader and businessmenfrom throughout the state who together had paid about RM2 million for theland.

Gramong said the case, which he described as "a very serious commercialcrime", had been reported to the Kanowit police.

The Kanowit NCR oil palm project is being jointly developed by KualaSiddim Berhad, a subsidiary of plantation giant Boustead Holdings Berhad,since the middle of 1996.

Kuala Siddim holds 60 per cent equity, the landowners 30 per cent andLCDA, as the managing agent (and custodian of the rights and interests ofthe landowners) the remaining 10.

So far, 14,000 hectares have been developed, of which about 11,000hectares are in various stages of fruiting and harvest.

Gramong called on other landowners who had been victimised and had yet toreport to do so immediately to help the police to speed up theirinvestigations.

"I would like the police to leave no stone unturned in theirinvestigations. It is disturbing that the syndicate has a very intimateknowledge of all the landowners, the size of their land and even thelocation.

"Investigations must proceed from all levels, including the Bousteadcompany site office, even the Ministry of Land Development, the divisionalLand and Survey Department and others," he said.

He also urged the landowners concerned to remain calm and to allow thepolice to complete their investigations first.

"I would like to assure them that my ministry does not recognize suchtransactions, and this means the owners still have the right to theirrespective plots," he said.

Gramong, who was accompanied by Kanowit Member of Parliament Aaron Dagangand Ngemah state-assemblyman Gabriel Adit Demong when meeting thelandowners and members of the Kanowit Oil Palm Area Development Committeeat the District Office, also categorically denied the illegal transactionhad their blessings.

"In fact, it defeats the very objective of the programme, which is toeradicate rural poverty in the long run. It is not just about bringing inbetter infrastructure and public amenities," he said.

Gramong said the three of them feared that the scam would frighten awayother landowners from participating in similar projects in the state inthe future.

-- BERNAMA