SIMUNJAN: Prominent native rights activist Nicholas Mujah, four longhouse chiefs and two others were released this morning from the Simunjan police station, a day earlier than expected under the remand order.
All seven were arrested in connection with a fire last week that destroyed a campsite belonging to a logging company linked to Roziah Mahmud, a sister of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.
The arrests have been condemned by a number of non-governmental organisations and have received the attention of international media.
The seven were each freed on police bail of RM1,000 in one surety and ordered to report to Simunjan police on Nov 25.
Mujah, his brother Sadon Anak Ason and another person, Numpang Anak Suntai, were detained on Friday after their statements were taken.
The four others, Tinsi anak Bunda, Philip Anak Bakat, Neli Anak Nipa and Bawi (only one name given) were arrested a day earlier.
Sadon, Philip, Neli and Bawi are longhouse chiefs.
The police also took statements from 10 other persons from six longhouses, but they were not detained.
Their lawyer, See Chee How, told FMT that police had not charged them with any crime.
The fire that led to the arrest happened last Monday. It destroyed a camp belonging to Royal Billion Sdn Bhd, a contractor engaged by the licensed logger, Quality Concrete Holdings, of which Roziah is a director.
It damaged six tractors, two logging trucks, a pickup truck and an excavator, worth a total of RM2 million, according to Royal Billion.
Mujah is the secretary-general of the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association and a member of several national and international NGOs.
Quality Concrete Holdings' licence from the Forestry Department allows it to carry out logging activities in 3,305 disputed hectares of forest.
Ibans from six longhouses claim that the area is Native Customary Rights land. They allege that the police, the District Officer, the Resident of Samarahan Division and the Lands and Surveys Department have ignored their complaints about the logging.
On Oct 14, they set up a blockade to stop Royal Billion’s workers from encroaching into the land. They have also stopped a tongkang (barge) from loading timber extracted from the disputed area.
