Sarawak Consistently Recognises NCR Land - Awang Tengah

KUCHING, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak government has consistently recognised Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, particularly land supported by evidence and legally recognised under the relevant laws, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

He said the NCR issue was often raised by certain quarters, particularly with the 13th Sarawak State Election approaching.

“The government not only recognises Native Customary Rights land that is supported by evidence and legally recognised, but also carries out land surveying works,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after the presentation of Bumiputera Communal Reserve Gazettes, land titles and land compensation cheques for the Samarahan Division here today.

Awang Tengah said NCR land surveying works had been carried out since the 1960s, but only about 260,000 hectares had been surveyed as of 2010.

He said the state government introduced a new initiative in 2010 to expedite the land surveying exercise and provide greater assurance of Bumiputera land ownership rights.

“It is now progressing rapidly. If we do not provide assistance and expedite these surveying efforts, it will lead to numerous problems.

“From 2010 to October this year, land surveying works under the new initiative covered approximately 1.2 million hectares, while more than three million hectares of land had been successfully surveyed overall, with nearly one million hectares gazetted,” he said.

He added that the Sarawak government had approved an allocation of RM40 million this year to expedite the process. 

-- BERNAMA