The Sarawak government has withdrawn two lucrative provisional land leases in Lundu, awarded by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to Polar Horizon, a company closely linked to his own family.

NONE A letter dated March 18 from the state Land and Survey Department to Jamain Mahmud (no relation to Taib), vice-chairman of the local villagers' action committee stated that "an instruction has been given to the Land and Survey superintendent, Kuching Division, to cancel the provisional lease to Lot 176 and 177 of Block 5, Sampadi Land District and Lot 178 of Block 6, Sampadi Land District, which had been issued to Polar Horizon Sdn Bhd".

The letter, which was from Ngu Kah Tong on behalf of the state Land and Survey director, did not state the source of the "instruction", but it is clear that Taib issued the order since he has sole authority over land issues as minister for planning and natural resources.

Local businessmen report that all approvals for land deals, down to the smallest transactions, must first be approved personally by Taib.

' A huge victory for the people'

penans meet suhakam 130208 see chee how "This is a huge victory for the people of Sarawak," said a clearly delighted See Chee How ( right ), a land rights lawyer and partner in Baru Bian Advocates and Solicitors - the firm representing 495 Malay and Bidayuh families in Kampung Sampadi, Kangka, Riam, Sungai Cina and Stoh.

The villagers had been lifelong supporters of Taib's party, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera, but even so, they had had their oil palm smallholdings unceremoniously handed over to Polar Horizon without compensation. Polar Horizon stood to make a fortune from planting oil palm trees on the land.

Polar Horizon is a subsidiary of Titanium Management, a conglomerate that has profited enormously over the years from plum contracts awarded by Taib's government.

Taib's son Abu Bekir is the 59.6 percent majority shareholder in Titanium. Michael Ting, Abu Bekir's business partner and fellow shareholder in Titanium, and Ting's wife Rose Yiu, own Polar Horizon.

This reversal of fortune for Polar Horizon and Titanium must be the source of some resentment for Taib and his son Abu Bekir.

This is particularly true at a time when Abu Bekir is facing a divorce suit by his former wife for the staggering sum of RM400 million, and Taib is under pressure from Prime Minister Najib Razak to step down if he cannot deliver continual support for the ruling BN in the upcoming state election.

Taib's damage control

Taib's efforts at damage control, in view of the state election expected next month, were prefaced earlier this month by an apparent appeal from Taib's public relations minister, Adenan Satem.

According to See, Adenan's political secretary promised that the Sampadi provisional licences would be revoked if the villagers withdrew their legal action against Polar Horizon.

Taib mahmud land grab in Lundu district by Polar Horizon banner The villagers had filed a countersuit against Polar Horizon after the company took them to court in the bid to evict them from the villagers' oil palm farms. The villagers however decided collectively to proceed with their legal action.

"The company will now be withdrawing their suit since they do not have a leg to stand on," See explained to Malaysiakini .

While the villagers are celebrating the return of their ancestral land, they are mindful that this apparent change of heart on the part of Taib is likely to be motivated by the looming state election.

Taib's administration is desperate to overcome his government's poor image of land transactions favouring the rich and well-connected at the expense of poor, particularly the traditional farming communities.

Sarawak Report , an investigative journalism website, has chronicled many instances of Taib and his family benefitting from land takeovers, while native communal rights (NCR) landowners were punished.

The whistleblower website recently released to the public a huge folder of land transactions in Sarawak involving Taib's family and business associates.

Taib and Adenan have both refused to take part in a public debate with Baru Bian, state PKR chief, on the issue that NCR land has been seized by Taib's administration.

Both Taib and Adenan had initially agreed to participate, but only on the condition that Baru Bian presented ‘proof of land grabs'.

Back to business as usual after polls?

PKR leaders faced an intimidating presence of 200 police officers when they made recent public appearances in Kuching to highlight court judgments in favour of NCR landowners - landmark decisions they described as clear ‘evidence of land grabs'.

Political observers note that Baru Bian and the PKR continue to struggle to get its message to the rural electorate.

They also point out that if Taib retains power after the imminent election, which is expected, the villagers of Sampadi could find that the withdrawal of provisional leases to their land may indeed be provisional.

Their NCR land may be awarded once again to Polar Horizon, and Sarawak would again return to business as usual.