Ian HC Chin JC:

The Plaintiffs' Case

[1] Burhan Bin Ating and 416 ors (hereinafter called the plaintiffs) on 10 August 1991 commenced an action by way of an originating summons against the Director of Lands and Surveys (hereinafter called the 1st defendant), the Government of the State of Sabah (hereinafter called the 2nd defendant) and Merotai Estates Sdn Bhd (hereinafter called the 3rd defendant). The plaintiffs by their originating summons claim against the 1st and 2nd defendants (reproduced faithfully):

(a) A declaration that a piece of land held under MNR 133/2679/78 of 6,700 acres state land and situated at Kawasan LKTNS, District of Tawau applied for by the plaintiffs in October 1989 and also under reference No CMB 515/29/1 PT.K/416 as the successful called the concession) be given to the plaintiffs.

(b) A declaration that the purported cancellation of the plaintiffs application and transfer of the concession to other parties is void ab initio and illegal.

(c) An order ordering the Director of Lands and Surveys to cancel the granting of the concession to others.

(d) An order that the Setiausaha Hasil Bumi do direct the Directors of Lands and Surveys to do all things necessary for vesting it to the plaintiffs as they shall direct.

Summary Of Plaintiffs' Contentions

[2] One of the plaintiffs, Burhan Bin Ating, on 10 August 1991, 25 February 1992, 2 & 13 March 1992 affirmed four affidavits in support of the originating summons, the gist of which allegations, which are gleaned from the said affidavits, can be summarized as follows:

(1)that the letter dated 2 March 1990 from the Setiausaha Hasil Bumi to the Pengarah Tanah dan Ukur and the letter dated 25 March 1991 from the Assistant Collector of Land Revenue indicate the approval for the plaintiffs of 6,700 acres of land at the Tanah Simpanan Penempatan Merotai Besar, Tawau;

(2) that the plaintiffs have been residing on the said land for 20 years;

(3) that the plaintiff Burhan Bin Ating and three other plaintiffs on 2 April 1991 paid RM50 each to the Lands & Surveys Department, Tawau, to register their land applications (see affidavit of 13 March 1992 and exhibits);

(4) that the 1st defendant subsequently canceled the plaintiffs application and granted the said area to the 3rd defendant; and

(5) that the 1st and 2nd defendants were notified of the plaintiffs' disagreement to the cancellation of plaintiffs' application for the said land;

[3] The plaintiffs contend that:

(1) that the letter dated 2 March 1990 from the Setiausaha Hasil Bumi to the Pengarah Tanah dan Ukur and the letter dated 25 March 1991 from the Assistant Collector of Land Revenue to the plaintiff Burhan Bin Ating can be construed to mean an approval of 6,700 acres of land for the plaintiffs (both letters are reproduced in full below);

(2) that the plaintiffs by the fact of their occupation of the land in question for more than 20 years have established native customary rights to the land; and

(3) that the 1st and 2nd defendants have cancelled the plaintiffs' land applications and which cancellation is void ab initio and illegal.

[4] The said two letters, in Bahasa Malaysia, are reproduced here in full:

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Telegram: CHIEFMIN KOTA KINABALU

Bil. MNr 133/2679/78

Jabatan

Ketua Menteri

(Chief Minister's Department)

Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia

2 Mac 1990

Pengarah Tanah dan Ukur,

Kota Kinabalu.

Tanah Simpanan Penempatan Merotai Besar, Tawau seluas 6,700 ekar

Saya diarah merujuk kepada perkara yang tersebut di atas dan sila maklum bahawa keputusan terhadap perkara ini adalah seperti berikut:

1. tanah yang diduduki dan dimajukan sepenuhnya dikeluarkan daripada kawasan seluas 6,700 ekar, kawasan tersebut adalah seperti berikut:

1.1 58 hektar seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam peta bertanda Al warna ungu. Kawasan ini diduduki oleh 27 orang, senarai nama dan butir-butir lanjut disertakan sebagai Lampiran A;

1.2 122 hektar seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam peta bertanda A2 warna biru. Kawasan ini diduduki oleh 17 orang, senarai nama dan butir-butir