HERBERT TRYING TO DISTRACT PEOPLE'S

By : EDWARD DAGUL

CUT the chase! If Herbert sincerely believes that the FMU is detrimental to the natives rights to owning land, then he should have the gumption to say so. Instead of accusing Datuk Yong of wrongdoing, he should ask the Chief Minister to repeal the FMU programme.

Herbert seems to forget that he is part and parcel of the current administration which is not only maintaining the FMU programme but judging from news releases, the government is positively upbeat about the programme.

Datuk Musa Aman, the current Chief Minister, had in the past, stressed that SFM programme was vital and for the record, was praised for the success of the FMU programme at an official function in Sandakan last May, 2011. If the programme is so bad, why hasn't Musa scrapped the programme?

It seems that Herbert is trying to distract people's minds from the fact that no one from PBS had commented on the statement by the Attorney General on the status of Native Customary Rights (NCR).

Which, by the way, does stoke the rakyat's curiousity of Herbert's stand on the matter? Is he in agreement with Datuk Anthony Roderic's statement on the validity of the NCR status expired way back in 1930's?

The other excuse is that he is also trying to do a face saving job for his boss. 44,000 land titles were issued during Datuk Yong's short tenure as the Chief Minister, and that was purely due to political will and resolve.

When compared to titles issued by other administrations, present government included, it is crystal why action speaks louder than words as to who really understands the natives plight and solves them in Sabah.

Has Herbert actually read and understood the SFLMA? Lets cut some slack and give the minister the benefit of the doubt, he must surely have noted that in clauses 23 and 24, the protection of rights and privileges of natives or 'forest community' is clearly stated.

The programme works and it is the non compliance of the terms under the Sustainable Forest Licence Management Agreement (SFLMA) by the current licensees that is causing the problem.