The landowners in a photo call with Awang Tengah (standing centre), who is flanked by Henry (third left) and Abdullah. — Photo by Roystein Em20
BAU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan refutes claims that the state government will be able to take away people’s land surveyed under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.
He said the state government would honour landowners’ claim and ensure their land is properly perimeter-surveyed under Section 6, and then given to them under Section 18.
“If you don’t trust your land surveyed under Section 6, do return your titles back to the government. I have said it many times.
“But to date, nobody has returned their titles surveyed under Section 6. This proves that claims by certain quarters that Section 6 would allow the government to take away your land is false.
“It is just empty talk by certain quarters trying to deceive the people to earn some political points only,” he said during the handing over of land titles to landowners at Kpg Tanjong Poting, Singai here yesterday.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Urban Development and Resources, said the state government had been carrying out perimeter surveys for landowners in the state since the 60s, but until 2010, progress had been very slow.
“From the 60s to 2010, the government only managed to survey 260,000ha of native customary rights (NCR) land.
“When the government implemented an initiative to intensify and expedite perimeter survey of NCR land from 2010 till this year, the state government, through the Land and Survey Department, managed to survey over 942,000ha of NCR land, and issued titles for over 750,000ha of land,” he said.
In fact, Awang Tengah added that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government had allocated RM40 million this year for that initiative.
“Perimeter surveys will only be done based on applications from landowners. We will not force them.
“Before we initiate the survey, we will conduct dialogues with them so that they will be clear about it, and the land boundaries are agreed upon amicably,” he said.
Later on, Awang Tengah handed over 35 land titles to 33 landowners in Bobak Sajong, 48 land titles to 42 landowners in Tanjong Poting, and 49 land titles to 42 landowners in Sudoh.
Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep and state director of Land and Survey Department Abdullah Julaihi were also present at the event.