BAU: The government recognises the people’s right to their lands and that’s why surveys of native customary rights (NCR) land have been done since 1960.
When he said this yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg also pointed out that the Programme of Surveying Traditional Villages has been carried out since early 2000.
The government always strives to expedite the surveys of valid NCR land by doing perimeter surveys under the ongoing New NCR Initiative Programme with funding from the federal government.
Since its implementation in October 2010, a total of RM161 million had been allocated and for the 11th Malaysia Plan, a total RM90 million was approved, said Johari.
Before this, he said, the former federal government was very concerned about the need to survey NCR land even though it knew that the matter was under the jurisdiction of the state government.
However, in the federal budget for this year, allocation was not specifically stated for the programme, he said.
Johari said the state government, therefore, approved RM40 million for surveying NCR Land this year.
“This shows that the state government is very committed to resolving the NCR land issue. The surveying of NCR land under Section 6 and Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code can continue in 2019,” he said at the launch of Singai Carnival 2018 and presentation of Pimu’ung Bisingai land titles, Gunung Singai land title, Catholic Memorial Pilgrimage Centre (CMPC) and individual land titles at Singai Sports and Recreation Club in Kampung Sudoh here yesterday.
Johari said in the first phase of Bumiputera Communal Reserve (Agriculture) under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, as of December 31, 2018, the perimeters of a total of 877,195 hectares (2,167,549 acres) had been successfully surveyed. From that total, a total of 712,090 hectares (1,759,574 acres) throughout Sarawak had been gazetted.
In the second phase, area under Section 6, as of December 31, 2018, some 24,920 individual lots totalling 31,341 hectares (7,444 acres) had been successfully surveyed. Of that total, some 9,923 titles involving a total area of 10,512 hectares under Section 18 of the State Land Code had been issued.
The surveyed areas including those in Kuching Division totaling 57,821 hectares had been successfully surveyed. Of that total, 48,384 hectares had been gazetted under Section 6 of the State Land Code.
In the second phase in Kuching division, a total of 3,945 individual lots totalling 3,461 hectares had been successfully surveyed. Some 1,404 surveyed individual lots had been titled.
In Tasik Biru constituency, Johari said a total of 26,589 hectares had been perimeterised and 22,280 hectares had been gazetted.
“Today, with the presentation of 636 titles under Section 18 of the State Land Code, it is obvious that the government had fulfilled its promise,” he said.
Johari said the government had also gazetted Gunung Singai as Bumiputera Communal Reserve (Heritage) under Section 6 of the State Land Code. The land totaling 369 hectares belongs to the Bidayuh Bisingai community.
He said the government had also gazetted about 1,395 hectares at Pimu’ung, Singai, Bau as Bumiputera Communal Reserve for the agricultural purposes of the Pimu’ung Bisingai Bidayuh community.
He said the government had also agreed to issue land titles to the Catholic Memorial and Pilgrimage Centre (CMPC) that has an area of 1.9671 hectare.
Johari said he will try to develop the state rationally based on Sarawak’s own policies.
“We are the one that will manage our state as we are no longer subject to Kuala Lumpur or parties from Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
“We are still in Malaysia but our rights are our rights. That is why I believe by 2030, we can become an economic powerhouse in Malaysia provided we have good economic policies and political stability,” he said.
