Awang Tengah (fourth left) preparing to launch the festival while others look on.
KUCHING (Sept 24): A total of 56,971 individual land lots covering an area of 71,374 hectares have been successfully surveyed as of August 31, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
“A total of 23,446 lots have been issued land title deeds under Section 18 of the State Land Code covering a total area of 31,803 hectares.
“This includes a total of 204 land title deeds, which will be presented to 172 recipients for Kampung Barieng and Kampung Senibung,” he said at the launch of Tasik Biru Festival and presentation of Section 18 Land Title Deeds for Kampung Senibung, Kampung Barieng Singai and Kampung Skibang in Bau yesterday.
He informed that so far, a total of 56,849 residential lots in 386 villages throughout Sarawak have been measured.
Of that total, 53,526 lots have already been issued title deeds including the 101 land title deeds that he handed over to 100 villagers of Kampung Skibang yesterday.
Awang Tengah, who is Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development and Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment, pointed out that issuance of Section 18 Land Title Deed provides many benefits to land owners.
Among them is that the holding period is in perpetuity, meaning that the land owner has permanent title to the land, is exempted from annual land tax, cost of land measurement and preparation of land title deeds, and also exemption from land premiums.
He informed that the measurement of individual lots and the issuance of land title deeds under Section 18 of the Land Code are currently underway.
“The native customary rights (NCR) land measurement work is in accordance with the law and prescribed procedures which are carried out based on the approved NCR land application. A dialogue was held with relevant NCR land claimants before the measurement works began. It aims to provide information and get feedback before the actual measurement work in the field is carried out.
“Measurements will only be carried out after obtaining the consent and support of the land claimants involved. If they do not want their land to be measured, the measurement work will not be carried out,” he said.
For cases that are still in dispute and trial in court, Awang Tengah said the measurement work will not be carried out unless the case has been resolved or withdrawn by those involved.
He noted that the government’s efforts in issuing land title deeds through the New Initiative for NCR Land Survey Programme will not be successful without the involvement and cooperation of local leaders, communities and residents.
“Therefore, I call upon you to give full and close cooperation to the Land and Survey Department because it is an implementing agency for land policies that is always committed to carrying out these responsibilities.
“This need for cooperation not only requires you to be in the field during the measurement, but support, trust and confidence in the good efforts of the government is very necessary to dispel negative accusations and incitement against this NCR Land Survey Programme,” he said.
Awang Tengah said apart from the New Initiative for NCR Land Survey Programme, the government also implements the Traditional Village Survey Programme.
He explained this programme is a continuous effort by the government to guarantee ownership rights of villagers over the land in villages that have existed for a long time, whether in areas that have been gazetted as Bumiputera Communal Reserve Section 6 (Kampung) or not yet gazetted.
“The cost of this programme is borne by the government and the landowners or villagers who apply are not charged any fees.
“After completing the survey, the land title deed will be issued under Section 18 of the State Land Code,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the Tasik Biru Festival, he said it is a good platform for leaders to meet with the people, thus creating a sense of togetherness towards unity among the people in Bau District.
The festival will be held for 11 days, and will follow the state tourism concept of CAFF-Culture, Adventure, Festival and Food.
On another matter, Awang Tengah said Sarawak Delta Geopark (SDGp) is recognised as the sixth National Geopark under the National Geopark Development Programme and Bau district is part of the SDGp.
“This recognition is able to improve the socioeconomic status of the local community, especially in the Sarawak Delta Geopark (SDGp) area, while further strengthening the development of the tourism sector in Sarawak.
“To the local Bau community, do take the opportunity to showcase the uniqueness that exists here and to seize business opportunities,” he said.