KUCHING: Native customary rights (NCR) lands should only be surveyed under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code to protect the lands from encroachment by outsiders.
In stating this, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing said the danger of selling NCR lands surveyed under Section 18 could result in native communities becoming landless due to poverty and other needs for cash.
“I would be most happy if the Land and Survey Department could just conduct surveys under Section 6 for my area. It will protect NCR and pemakai (territorial domain) from encroachment by outsiders, while at the same time allow individual NCR landowers to cultivate their plots.
“This way, there is no danger of land sale within Section 6, for sale under Section 6 can only happen when all owners within the community agree to it.
“This is almost impossible! Thus, NCR landowners will be in no danger of losing their land in the coming times,” he said in a statement on Monday (Oct 26).
Masing asserted that selling of NCR lands could occur under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code.
“Under Section 18, it can happen! Individual landowners who have their land titles issued under Section 18 can sell their land to any buyers. It’s a case of willing sellers and willing buyers.
“Personally, I would prefer NCR lands to be surveyed under Section 6 only, until we teach them the skills to make their land productive!”
Meanwhile, Masing, who is also Baleh assemblyman, said the Land and Survey Department had issued 479 hectares of NCR lands surveyed under Section 18 to landowners in Sungai Majau, located about 100km away from Kapit town, in the interior of Baleh constituency.
He added that the issuance of NCR lands served as proof to other native communities to not fear of the alleged ‘land grab’ done by the state government.
“Despite difficult terrain in doing their tasks, the Land and Survey Department did process their task of moving from Section 6 to Section 18 in a mere two years. It’s a job well done.
“While witnessing NCR landowners receiving their titles in heartland of my kawasan (area), I was almost brought to tears.
“Never in my wildest dream (I thought) I would see Section 18 surveys could be conducted in the middle of the jungle in record time and my people receiving their land titles under Section 18.”
