Rep urges rural landowners to develop NCR land

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Rolland cuts the ribbon to officially launch Rh Akun JKKK while his wife (left) waits for her turn to launch the longhouse’s Women Bureau.

JULAU: Rural landowners here are advised to develop their land in order to generate income to uplift their socio-economic status.

In making the call, Meluan assemblyman Rolland Duat said that while it was justifiable for the people to declare their preparedness to die defending their land, it would be more meaningful if they cultivate their land and turn it into their main source of income. He also advised the land owners to be smart farmers by learning every aspect of farm management and marketing of products.

Rolland said this during a ‘Leader with the people’ session at Rumah Akun,  Nanga Matop near here recently.

Responding to the disappointment expressed by the longhouse chieftain Akun Belun over the drop in price of their main crops (pepper and palm oil), Rolland suggested that local farmers diversify their crops by planting ‘Musang King’ durian, pineapples and other fruits which have high market demand.

He suggested that local pepper farmers market their pepper produce under the Meluan brand to safeguard its high quality which is acknowledged by pepper importers.

Touching on native customary rights (NCR) land and ‘Pemakai Menoa’ and ‘Pulau Galau’ issues, Rolland assured that the Sarawak government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had put in place a mechanism to issue free perpetuity and indefeasible  titles for the NCR land as well as rights over their PMPG which had been recognised as Native Territorial Domain (NTD) under the recently amended Land Code, thus giving it a force of law.

During the function, Rolland launched the longhouse’s security and development committee (JKKK) while his wife officiated at the longhouse’s newly formed Women Bureau.