Awg Tengah: Land is every family’s lifeblood, inherited legacy

SIBU (Dec 4): Land is not merely a physical asset but the lifeblood and inherited legacy of every family, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

He said the presentation of gazettes, land titles and land compensation cheques by the government is an acknowledgement of landowners who have cooperated to ensure the successful surveying of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.

In a speech for the presentation ceremony here involving 231 recipients, Awang Tengah said the Lemangan/Bekakap, Bawang Assan, and Jalan Bawang Assan/Tanjung Manis areas here were surveyed and gazetted in June this year, involving approximately 807 hectares (1,994 acres).

“The Tebalong Batang Oya area in Selangau, covering 1,042 hectares (2,576 acres), was also surveyed and gazetted in the same month. Today, 27 longhouse chiefs from both areas will receive their respective NCR land gazettes,” he said.

The speech was delivered by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

On the issuance of Section 18 land titles, Awang Tengah said the Pasai Siong area was gazetted under Section 6 in 2013 with an area of about 5,904 hectares (14,596 acres), before individual surveying was approved in 2017.

He said the Ngemah area in Kanowit, which was gazetted in 2017 with an area of 10,047 hectares (24,828 acres), was also approved for individual surveying in 2021.

For the Nanga Dap and Mapai areas in Kanowit, Awang Tengah said 5,283 hectares (13,054 acres) were gazetted under Section 6 in 2023 and underwent individual surveying the same year.

“The Nanga Tanyit area in Selangau was gazetted in 2016 with an area of 30,189 hectares (74,596 acres), and individual surveying was approved in 2017.

“A total of 195 Section 18 titles involving an area of about 397.84 hectares (983 acres) will be handed over to 131 recipients,” he said.

The same ceremony witnessed the presentation of land compensation cheques to landowners affected by the construction of a new road connecting Teku-Pasai Siong to Kemuyang here.

Awang Tengah said the compensation totalled RM4,487,903, covering 76 land lots spanning 28.75 hectares.

He said the lots comprised three Bumiputera Communal Reserve lots, four NCR lots, and 69 titled lots, involving a total of 170 recipients.

“The main objective of this road construction is to open a new route from Kemuyang to Teku-Pasai Siong, thereby providing residents with a shorter and more comfortable travel alternative,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude to all landowners for their full cooperation throughout the land acquisition process and hoped the project could be carried out smoothly.

Among those present at the ceremony were Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang and Ngemah assemblyman Anyi Jana.