SLDB clarifies court case on Bukit Kisi oil palm scheme

MIRI (Feb 28): The Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) has clarified that a recent court case relating to land Lot 159 Block 4 Bukit Kisi Land District registered in its name is not against all Bukit Kisi oil palm scheme participants as reported.

The board said the summons is against only 12 out of the 72 of the oil palm participants of Bukit Kisi oil palm scheme for Block A of land Lot 159.

“The 12 defendants had been invited by SLDB to join the new oil palm scheme to develop Block A of land Lot 159.

“However, the 12 defendants refused and continued to occupy and plant crops/oil palms on certain areas of Block A, hence this summons,” it said in a statement.

SLDB said on Feb 24 this year, one day prior to the mention of the case, 106 additional persons claimed that they were also occupying land Lot 159.

In order to avoid confusion during trial, SLDB’s counsel, through mutual consent of the defendants’ respective counsels, agreed to withdraw the summons.

“The court granted the application with no cost to any party. The plaintiff’s counsel will file fresh summon in due course,” said SLDB.

It stressed that the court, in granting the application to withdraw the summons, did not at any time say that the scheme participants could now continue their agricultural activities pending any further legal developments concerning the land they currently occupy.