Azmin’s ‘nonsensical’ promise to return native land misleading — Naroden

taken from sebanaku-sarawak

27 September 2010, Monday

KUCHING: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Azmin Ali, who is vying for the party’s number two position, was ticked off by a state assistant minister for making ‘nonsensical statement’ on native customary land.

The Gombak MP had told a gathering at Rumah Rangong in Ulu Niah near Miri last Saturday of PKR’s promise to the people of Sarawak that their land would be returned to them if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) governs the state.

But according to Assistant Minister of Planning and Resource Management, Mohd Naroden Hj Majais, there is no question of returning native customary rights land (NCL) to the people of Sarawak as the present government never took any land from the natives.

“How can you return something that you never took away? Clearly the PKR’s vice president’s promise is a nonsensical statement and a political gimmick to mislead the people,” Naroden said.

“The government is confident that the people will not be easily taken in by empty promises made by those who have yet to prove their capability in improving the well-being of the people, particularly the rural folks.