KANOWIT: There is a proposal to have idle land nested within oil palm plantations in Ngemah state constituency to be issued individual land titles.
The earmarked areas are Mapai, Bawan, Tuah, Pedai and Jih.
Ngemah assemblyman Alexander Vincent told The Borneo Post recently the idea was to have these unused land surveyed under the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land initiative and then issued individual land titles.
“The lands are probably not suitable for oil palm cultivation. It is left idle and it is a waste to the land owners.”
He added if this proposal materialised, it would be a first for Sibu.
“The Land and Survey Department Sibu held three dialogue sessions last month with longhouse folk in the areas proposed for the project.
“So far, there is no objection from the people.”
He said these idle lands totalled about 2,000 hectares, and a committee would be formed to oversee the development of this proposed project.
Alexander said it was up to the land owners how they wanted to develop their land after the issuance of the titles.
“At the moment, the land owners cannot do anything on the said land.
“I was told the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority could not help them because they do not have land titles.”
He said Mapai, Bawan, Tuah, Pedai and Jih are home to about 4,000 people living in 70 longhouses.