Awang Tengah (fifth right) joins some of the recipients of the gazetted ‘Communal Bumiputera Reserve’ land title in a photo-call. Also seen with him are Riot and Manyin (sixth and seventh right, respectively).
SERIAN: The Sarawak government is now focused on surveying individual Native Customary Rights (NCR) land lots, as the perimeter surveying continues.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan says the surveying of individual lots and the issuance of titles come under the second phase of recognising NCR land ownership, following the completion of the perimeter survey.
According to him, there are two phases of works to be carried out – perimeter survey and individual survey – before the issuance of the titles.
He says surveying individual lots without carrying out the perimeter survey first would be ‘a tedious and heavy task’.
“The state government, from now on, will focus on surveying individual lots where the perimeter survey had been carried out.
“At the same time, the government will also continue with the perimeter survey works on areas that have yet to be carried out,” he spoke at the handover of land titles – provided under Section 6 and 18 of the Sarawak Land Code – to the landowners at Kampung Pichin here yesterday.
According to Awang Tengah, the Sarawak government acknowledges NCR land being an issue that is very close to the people’s hearts and as such, it would continue to carry out survey works and issuance of land titles for genuine cases.
He regarded the surveying of NCR land as ‘not something new as it has been carried out since the 1960s’.
“For as long as Sarawak remains under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the interests and rights of the people, including the important NCR land rights, would be looked after.”
In this respect, he said he was surprised to hear remarks by some leaders from the opposition side, who regarded such perimeter survey as something ‘not important’.
“NCR land is very special to the Bumiputera community in Sarawak and for that reason, the Sarawak government under GPS will continue to preserve it,” he stressed.
Awang Tengah pointed out that the commitment and sincerity of the Sarawak government in carrying out NCR land survey was proven with the allocation of RM40 million for this purpose, as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in his tabling of Sarawak Budget 2019.
Awang Tengah pointed out that from 2010 to October this year, 880,265 hectares covering 525 areas across Sarawak had undergone perimeter survey.
Of this number, 687, 258 hectares covering 487 areas had been gazetted, he added.
Awang Tengah was also happy to note that there was not much problem in surveying NCR land of the Bidayuh community, thanking the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) for its initiative in the land documentation.
“We hope to continue working together and at the same time, the government also hopes that the Bidayuhs would remain united under GPS,” said the deputy chief minister.
Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben and Land and Survey Department acting director Abdullah Julaihi were also present at the event.