Jobilee Occupation Ticket land can be converted to Native Customary Rights land, says Deputy Premier

BETONG (Dec 19): Jobilee Occupation Ticket (JOT) land title holders have been told to convert their lots into Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.

The JOT is a pre-Sarawak Land Code title and issued during the colonial government era to those who agreed to plant rubber, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, also the state Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development.

He added that for every one acre or 200 rubber trees planted, a JOT would be issued, and such method was very prevalent in Sri Aman and Betong areas.

The Bukit Saban assemblyman said upon the expiry of the tenure, such land would be considered state land.

“But our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has been very sympathetic towards the owners of such land. He has consented for the land status to be changed into NCR land through an exercise to be handled by the Land and Survey Department.

“So those JOT owners concerned are to approach your nearest Land and Survey Department office for assistance and necessary action,” Uggah told reporters during an event at Rumah Layang, in Nanga Lop in Debak yesterday.

On another issue, the Deputy Premier said the government had agreed to allocate RM30 million to upgrade the Ulu Rimbas Road here, spanning about 22km.

Its upgrading should benefit about 2,000 oil palm, padi and rubber farmers from 20 longhouses, he added.