Police could not take legal action against those accused of criminal activites related to Native Customary Rights (NCR) land dispute due to the lack of sufficient evidence.

Miri police chief ACP Junaidi Bujang said although there were police reports that involved NCR land dispute, such as allegations of criminal act of violence by interested parties, gangsterism and extortion, it was difficult to take action without solid proof.

"For example, sometimes those who lodged the police report could not identify the suspect involved in the allegation. How can we take action based on that?" Junaidi he told reporters in Miri today.

Junaidi was responding to the Sarawak PKR chairperson Baru Bian’s allegation that police have not been taking action despite police reports lodged over the NCR land dispute in Sungai Bekelit, Miri.

Baru said even Bill Kayong, who was shot dead by unknown assailants on Tuesday, was involved in the confrontation at Sungai Bekelit between the plantation owner and villagers there.

Earlier Junaidi accompanied Sarawak Community Safety and Crime Prevention Department (JPJKK) head SAC Che Yussof Che Ngah to make a courtesy call on Miri City Mayor Lawrence Lai and Miri City Council (MCC) councillors.

On the police report lodged against Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon, Junaidi said the investigation might take some time as the police needed to obtain verification on the citizenship status of Ting from the Australian government.

"The police have taken his (Ting’s) statement and it is still being investigated under Section 199 of the Penal Code," he said.

An election petition has also been filed on June 16 by BN direct candidate Hii King Chiong to nulify the May 7 state election result for Pujut on the grounds that Ting is an Australian citizen.

- Bernama