Incensed villagers in Penampang, on the outskirts of the state capital, have set a Dec 31 deadline for two senior politicians to explain a proposed private housing project on their reserve native land or risk being hauled to court.

The targets of their wrath are United Pasok Momogun KadazanMurut Organisation (UPKO) president Bernard Giluk Dompok and Moyog state assemblyperson Donald Peter Mojuntin, also State Assistant Finance Minister.

"Once we go to court, it will open up a can of worms," warned Joseph Joilus Poudi who leads the ad hoc Kampung Kibabaig Native Reserve Land Action Committee.

The land is for grazing animals.

"How could the authorities have approved the project on our native reserve land? It's like stealing our land from right under our noses."

If the project goes ahead in the old village, according to Poudi, 12 existing houses will also be affected along with an old cemetery.

The villagers also want the dissolution of the Kampung Pogun/Kibabaig Reserve Lands Panel headed by Native Chief OKK Christopher H Mojungkim "since it's only a pro-tem one".

Besides Pogun and Kibabaig, the panel covers Tuavon, Dabak, Nampasan and Kivastu, all villages.

The native chief was recently involved in a tussle for his post with his cousin Sylvester J Disimon.

In turn, the panel secretary Joseph Jerry Siponong and Kampung Kibibaig village head Francis Modulin are giving the ad hoc committee one week to apologise to both Dompok and Mojuntin for the Dec 31 deadline.

If the committee fails to do so as demanded, they added that they reserved the right to lodge a police report and follow-up with legal action.

The panel takes a serious view of the allegations made against us by the ad hoc committee," said Siponong without going into specifics. "The panel is a legal body approved by the district officer on July 5, 2006."

The brewing issue broke into the open after a ground breaking ceremony at the native reserve land last Sunday for the controversial project.

The villagers were even more alarmed to discover that the ceremony was witnessed by Mojungkim.

Poudi flashed an invite from Mojungkim for the ground-breaking ceremony. It listed Dompok as the guest-of-honour.

Penampang District Officer William Sampil and Mojuntin had been invited as well.

Dompok does a Pontius Pilot

Dompok did not turn up, according to his special officer Albert Bingkasan, because "he had prior engagements on that day in Peninsular Malaysia".

"Dompok probably did not know about the ground-breaking ceremony," he added.

Dompok ( below ) admitted being invited but did not say for what. He added that he had a prior engagement in Johor organised by the Lions Group.

"I think the district officer has to consult with the villagers and find a solution," he said in washing his hands off the matter. "The site involves a village with an old history."

merdeka statement launch 020807 bernard dompok Mojuntin, meanwhile, claimd that he was not aware that the village folks in Kampung Pogun opposed the development of that parcel of land.

Development plans for native reserve land customarily require the consent of the trustees after consultation with the villagers.

He denied that the native reserve land would be turned into private housing. Instead, it would be used to house the landless from Kibabaig, Tuavon, Dabak, Nampasan and Kivatu.

"These people are at present living precariously in the riparian areas of the five villages."

"It's unbecoming of former acting district chief Innocent Makajil to challenge Dompok and me to declare whether we have any vested interest in the native reserve development plan," said Mojuntin, who had excused himself from the ground-breaking ceremony.

"This is tantamount to defamation. I suggest he report his allegations to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission if he has any proof."

Mojungkim claimed that last Sunday's "ground-breaking" ceremony was to conduct customary rites for the old cemetery and clear the bushes in the surrounding area.

NONE "Our intention of inviting Dompok and Mojuntin was simply to witness the mangakan sogit ceremony where we invite a bobohizan (priestess) to perform it," said Mojungkim. "The village heads should have informed the people."

The native chief added that they intended to sacrifice a buffalo and a pig during the ceremony which was aborted after 90 villagers reportedly stormed the site and chased everyone away.

Mojunkim, like Mojuntin, conceded that there were plans to house some "poor" people on the native reserve land.

"The plans would be submitted to Dompok and Mojuntin for their consideration and approval," pledged Mojungkim. "We will never allow any developer to disturb more than 10 acres of the native reserve land."

Siponong said the remains of the deceased in the Pogun cemetery would be exhumed and shifted to another nearby.

This is likely to incense the villagers even further. Poudi is convinced that the traditional rituals were conducted in conjunction with the ground-breaking to "appease the spirits who will have to make way for the housing project".