Ministry of Land Development permanent secretary Datu Jaul Samion presents a gift to Masing (right).
KAPIT: Some 11,000ha of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land in Baleh will be developed into an oil palm plantation.
Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing said the development involving 63 longhouses at the confluence of Nanga Baleh and Batang Rajang is the first of its kind for the Baleh area.
“The advantage of this land development is it makes NCR land productive, because all these years the land has not been utilised for crop growing. Once this is done, the security of this land is assured. It’ll provide employment for locals who are willing to work in this industry. And then the creation of the oil palm plantation will provide accessibility of roads to rural areas,” he said during the launching at Rumah Alan, Nanga Sekeroh on Friday.
“I advise the local people to be involved in the industry not only to create employment but to develop their own land to make it productive. The oil palm industry is a regimented industry and they must be disciplined to work. When oil palm needs fertiliser, they must be fertilised and during harvest must be harvested.”
Masing also called on the people not to be influenced by outsiders against the development.
“My Ministry of Land Development will find the best way of doing it so that all stakeholders must benefit from the project,” he added.