Tuesday, February 26, 2013

the Villagers and the Government




What kind of Villagers do we have?  These Villagers are left in the remote interiors, far away from the hustle of the so called modernized cities.

How many of the people in Malaysia know what the Villagers are thinking and has been doing?

When the Villagers have learned that their lands or any government land nearby would soon be acquired by the Government for public purposes, including building roads, hospitals or schools which they have been eagerly expecting since the day they were born, they would quickly build some buildings or plant some crops on that land, in order to claim for monetary compensation, taking advantage of rural development programs and exploiting the Land Ordinance.

This is a common practice widely practiced by the Villagers.

The first cost for constructing some simple buildings/structures and planting some seedlings is far more insignificant as compared to the amount of compensation they would received once the land is acquired by the Government.  Yet the Government would only interfere the usage of any Government land when it is needed for development, and acquire lands from  the Villagers when there is a need to build some public facilities on their lands.

And for whom the facilities are built for if not for them the Villagers.

So here is the problem.  One of the problems causing delay in Site Possession for construction of the new school is due to strong objection received from the Villagers, who claimed that their crops on the Site have NOT received any monetary compensation from the Government.  Despite at the same time , they wish to have a new secondary school in their village as soon as possible.

Suddenly the 23 acres forested Government land has 8 Farmers who claimed that they have their crops planted there.  Besides the common crops, they have even planted Bamboos, which should be compensated based on 'clump'.  Bamboo?!!  Since when did the Villagers have learnt to plant Bamboo?  This is NOT China, this is PITAS!!! Since when did the Villagers are taught of Commercializing Borneo Bamboo?

The most critical crops according to the Contractor, is Pineapple which, is not counted by unit, but based on the number of 'flower shoots' it has above the 'main / mother plant!  A Durian tree of 5 year old is rated at RM150 per tree.

Obviously the crops are planted recently, just as a gimmick to claim for monetary compensation.  If the crops have been there since the beginning of time, it would have been included in the BQ, as the case of the graves.  In addition, the terms to compensate for relocation of graves has changed from a pig to a buffalo for every grave, which is a great different from the initial agreement: a pig for a ritual ceremony to relocate the whole cemetery.

But why are the Villagers acting in such way?

What is wrong with the Government? What is wrong with the Country, the Nation?

It seems that they are desperately in need of money, not little money, but BIG money.

Why?  What have happened to them?  

Are they not all landlords on their own lands?