Deputy Premier: Over 1.1 mln ha NCR land surveyed in Sarawak as of Oct 31

KUCHING (Nov 29): Perimeter surveys have been conducted on 1,118,851 ha or 2,764,681 acres of land through the New Initiative Native Customary Rights (NCR) Land Measurement Programme from 2010 up to Oct 31 this year, said Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The Deputy Premier and Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development said from this, around 867,516 ha or 2,143,632 acres have been gazetted as Bumiputera Communal Reserve (Agriculture) under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.

“Gazetting for the remaining areas that have been measured in perimeter will be carried out continuously. This measurement work is based on requests from the parties involved.

“Any area involved in a court case, it will only be measured after the case is completed or the parties involved withdraw their claims in court and make a new application to participate in this programme,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) here today.

Since 2017, he said the focus of the programme has been on individual lots under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code for areas that have been gazetted under Section 6, based on the application and willingness of the land claimants.

As of Oct 31 this year, 77,954 individual lots covering 94,979 ha or 234,693 acres have been surveyed and land ownership letters under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code are set to be issued for these lots.

“In order to speed up the measurement of individual lots of NCR land, land claimants should be present during the measurement in the field, mark their land boundaries clearly and avoid disputes in making claims so that the measurement goes more smoothly.

“The Sarawak government is committed to ensuring the continuity of this programme and will provide necessary funds, in addition to federal funds received,” he added.