441 get NCR titles, 107 compensated for land

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Len Talif (third left), flanked by Ting on his right and Zaidi, presents a compensation cheque to a recipient during the ceremony.

MIRI: A total of 441 recipients of individual Native Customary Rights (NCR) received their land titles yesterday as part of the perimeter survey programme initiated by the state government.

The recipients, from seven villages and longhouses, received the titles from the Land and Survey Department during a ceremony here which also saw the presentation of communal reserves gazette and compensation for land acquisition.

Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh, who represented Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan at the function, said a total of 107 land owners received compensation of over RM1.8 million for the acquisition of land for three projects.

The compensation was for land acquired for the building of Saeh Road in Niah, Sungai Sibuti Bridge and access road at Kampung Rambai in Bekenu, and the Bunut substation in Tinjar.

“The payout shows that the government pays fair and reasonable compensation in land acquisition in compliance with the Sarawak Land Code and Article 13 of the Federal Constitution,” said Awang Tengah, whose text-of-speech was read by Len Talif.

The 15.1-kilometre Saeh Road serves 12 longhouses, requiring acquisition of 32.25 hectares of NCR land where RM655,700 in compensation was paid out to 74 claimants.

The acquisition of land for the Sungai Sibuti Bridge and access road involved 30 lots stretching two kilometres, resulting in a payout RM459,854 to 245 recipients.

The third group of 10 recipients, as owners of 19 lots affected by Sarawak Energy Berhad’s Bunut substation, received RM733,550 in compensation.

The Bumiputera community reserves gazetted were for Sungai Libai (Niah), Sungai Entulang (Bakong) and Tegageng (Suai) for the Iban and Malay communities undertaken under the NCR perimeter survey programme.

“With this gazette, land owners do not have to worry about encroachment anymore. It is enough to prove land ownership and the perimeter boundary of the land belonging to your respective village,” said Awang Tengah.

He added the communal gazette proves that the state government has always recognised native land rights and such documents were undisputed proof of ownership of NCR land.

Meanwhile, Land and Survey Miri Superintendent Arni Abdul Rahman said the first phase of the NCR perimeter survey covered 28,548 hectares of land, of which 15,584 hectares involving 25 areas had already been gazetted, including the three presented yesterday.

Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Land and Survey Department director Zaidi Mahdi and deputy director (Management) Abdullah Julaihi were among those present at the ceremony.