PENAMPANG: Moyog assemblyman Terrence A Siambun claimed that landowners affected by flood mitigation project at Sg Sugud here were left in the dark about the project and plan.
He questioned whether the Lands and Surveys Department had already issued letter informing the landowners with regards to the acquisition of their lands and compensation amount to be given.
“It is obvious that the government decided to proceed with the project/plan without informing the affected landowners beforehand when it erected the signboard,” he claimed in a statement yesterday.
Terrence disclosed that the affected landowners had approached him for assistance on this matter since their worries and concerns were left unattended to by the government despite being highlighted in the newspaper.
“I truly support any flood mitigation project/plan in this district, particularly in the Moyog constituency, since repeated flash floods (due to unplanned and unregulated development projects or hill cutting/clearing) have caused losses worth millions of ringgit in terms of properties, crops, infrastructures and utilities damages/destruction in the district.
“However, such project/plan should be done properly and within the correct procedure so as not to victimize other villagers (the landowners whose lands have been demarcated for such project/plan) who have the rights to know and understand the situation better,” he said.
“How could the government simply take away these lands without ever informing the owners? Despite such action is necessary, nevertheless, I believe there are laws and guidelines to be followed before effecting the act of acquiring these Lands which belong to other people,” he added.
Terrence called for a dialogue between the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Lands and Surveys Department and the affected landowners so that the people will have a better and clearer picture of this project/plan.