Awang Tengah (left) and others gesture before the groundbreaking ceremony for Kampung Sesok expansion project.
MUKAH: The new Native Customary Rights (NCR) Land Survey Initiative has proven to be more efficient than the approach used previously, according to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
He said under the new initiative perimeter survey is done first, followed by individual survey only after the area is gazetted under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code (SLC).
“The previous approach prioritised survey on individual lot,” he noted.
He said that as of Feb 28 this year, the Land and Survey Department (LSD) had surveyed a total of 879,913 hectares (ha) or 2.17 million acres of NCR land across the state in a period of less than 10 years.
“50 years ago from 1960 to 2010 we had only managed to survey 260,000 ha or 642,460 acres. The achievement of our survey is more than four times the achievement we made within 50 years.
“This is proof of effectiveness of the new approach,” he said before presenting Bumiputera Communal Reserve Gazette under Section 6 of the SLC and land titles under Section 18 of the SLC at Kampung Sesok multipurpose hall here yesterday.
Awang Tengah also performed groundbreaking for the project to expand Kampung Sesok.
Earlier, he said that the government had always recognised the people’s rights to their land.
“In fact, the survey of NCR land has been implemented since 1960s under the Settlement Operation and Traditional Village Survey Programme which has been implemented since the beginning of the year 2000,” he said.
“Efforts to speed up the measurement of valid NCR land are being intensified with the implementation of the new initiative,” he added.
According to him, a total of 25,796 individual lots covering 32,107 ha had been surveyed successfully.
The government’s focus this year is on survey of individual lots following a total of 718,522 ha (1.776 acres) that have been gazetted for issuance of individual titles, he disclosed.
“LSD has been entrusted with the heavy task of ensuring the survey works can be completed within a reasonable period,” Awang Tengah said, urging the village heads and community leaders to complement the efforts of LSD.
At the function, Awang Tengah gave out a total of 182 land titles under Section 18 of the SLC under Traditional Villages Survey Programme involving Kampung Penakub Ulu, Kampung Bedanga, Kampung Telian Ulu and Kampung Pegei/Ragei. He also presented Bumiputera Communal Reserve Gazette under Section 6 of the SLC to Kampung Sungai Alo and Kampung Tutus Ulu.
“As at Dec 31 last year, a total of 353 villages involving 47,532 housing lots had been surveyed statewide under the same programme,” he pointed out.
On Kampung Sesok expansion, he said the project will cost RM22 million and it will provide 121 housing lots other than upgrading existing infrastructure.
Among those present were Assistant Minister of E-Commerce Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Balingian assemblyman Abdul Yakub Arbi and Tellian assemblyman Yussibnosh Balo.