05/08/2011 (Bernama) - Oil palm joint-venture companies (JVCs) managed by the Sarawak Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) had suffered an estimated losses of RM33.6 million due to theft of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) since last year.

State Land Development Minister, Tan Sri Dr James Masing, said the theft, allegedly committed by the participants involved in three native customary rights (NCR) and one state land projects, had become rampant, especially before, during and after the state election, which was held on Apr 16 this year.

"The state government views the problem seriously and will look at the loopholes to penalise the culprits, with the LCDA beefing up its enforcement manpower to resolve it after meeting with the landowners concerned," he told a media briefing here Thursday.

Masing said this after chairing a meeting on the theft and unauthorised harvesting of the FFBs in the affected JVC areas with LCDA, Malaysian Palm Oil Board and police.

He said potential investors might be discouraged to come to Sarawak if such theft continued, adding that, so far no one had been caught yet.

"The modus operandi involved the sales of the stolen FFBs by individuals to small-time dealers, who in turn sell them to the millers," he said.

The NCR projects included the SPB Penan Jambatan Suai Sdn Bhd, whose 1,855 ha plantation at Suai in Miri, which is being jointly developed with Sarawak Plantation Sdn and 150 landowners, had incurred losses of RM21.12 million

Based on investigations, he said, the theft was due to dissatisfaction on the amount of dividend received.