SIBU: About 404 residents of Sekuau Resettlement Scheme want the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) to stop operation and move out within seven days for failing to pay them dividend from their participation in an oil palm plantation scheme.

       The residents who are from 24 longhouses claimed they had only received four dividends in the 25 years.

       Chairman of Sekuau Security Development Council, councillor Henry Kanyan said they would stage a demonstration if Felcra ignored the demand and continued operation.

       "We are giving Felcra seven days from today to cease operation and move out," he said in a press conference on Friday (June 17).

       Kanyan said the participants had enough of meeting with Felcra on the paying of dividends.

       "Last year six meetings took place. We will not meet and discuss with Felcra anymore as previous meetings had not brought any positive developments.

       "Our last meeting with the plantation manager was before the Gawai where we were promised the dividends but until now we have not received anything," he said.

       Kanyan said each time they talked about the dividend, Felcra would give the excuse that they were not obliged to pay them as they said there was no contractual agreement made between them.

       But according to Kanyan, Felcra had benefited from using the participants' land covering a total size of 900ha, for oil palm plantation and as such was compelled to pay them a dividend.

       "Each month, Felcra harvested up to 2,000 tonnes of FFB (fresh fruit bunch).

       "They never told us how much dividend we are entitled to as their excuse is that there was no formal agreement made for the use of our land for the plantation.

       "The four times they paid us were according to their whims and fancies," he said.

       Kanyan said the land was given to the 404 residents by the State government in 1972 for farming.

       In 1993 Felcra began planting pepper, cocoa and later oil palm as they were appointed by the Federal government to uplift their living standard through agriculture.

       The 404 participants, he said, had on June 16 lodged a police report at the Stapang Police Station on the matter.