KUCHING: The issuance of titles for native customary rights (NCR) land developed by the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) to eradicate rural poverty is an ongoing process, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said today.
Jabu, who is also state Rural Development and Modernisation of Agriculture Minister, said 50,028ha of NCR land had been developed by Salcra as at May 31, 2011 with the positive prospect of favourable dividends for this year.
“Salcra as a statutory body has been successful in eradicating poverty in the rural areas as reflected by the fact that NCR landowners, who are participants of Salcra projects, had up to December last year received dividends amounting to RM405,694,965, including RM74,262,125 paid in 2010,” he said at the state assembly sitting in Petra Jaya, here.
Replying to Baru Bian (PKR-Ba Kelalan), he, however, said Ba Kelalan was not covered by Salcra at present and urged the opposition assemblyman to approach the Land and Survey Department, which has the authority to issue land titles, on the list of Salcra NCR land owners.
“At present, the 18 estates being developed involving NCR land are in Bau/Lundu, Serian, Sri Aman and Saratok/Saribas,” he said.
Of the total area developed, he said 16,828ha had been surveyed and issued with 9,254 land titles with another 18,526ha surveyed but yet to be issued with land titles.
He said no land title would be issued for 9,444ha of communally-owned land being developed while the newly developed area of 5,230ha had yet to be surveyed.
“An additional 1,740 land titles, which are ready, will soon be handed over to the Salcra participants free of charge because the state Barisan Nasional government cares for the people.”
Contrary to the opposition’s propaganda that the state government took away NCR land from the people, it instead gave titles in perpetuity to NCR land owners, he said.
Jabu said the state government was also serious in implementing programmes to eradicate rural poverty throughout Sarawak. – Bernama