DUN Sitting (Day Four): RM60 million for perimeter survey on NCR land

(Nov 04, 2010)

THE government has allocated RM60 million for the perimeter survey on native customary rights (NCR) land in the state in 2011 and 2012.

HEADING FOR THE SITTING: Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan (left) with State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani wait for the lift during the sitting yesterday morning.

Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said yesterday that  with the allocation,  the Land and Survey Department (LSD) would continue the state government’s initiative to carry out perimeter survey on NCR land.

“So far, 27 hectares of NCR  land  in  Sarawak  have been covered. NCR land is scattered throughout the state and it will take time to complete the perimeter  survey. What matters is that the initiative is continuous.

“Thus far the government has spent RM20 million on this project this year,” he told the august house during the question-and-answer session.

Earlier, Assistant Minister of Planning and Resource Management Mohd Naroden Majais said about  one million   hectares of NCR land in the state had yet to go through the perimeter survey.

As to how  soon the survey would be completed, he said it heavily depended on the manpower and co-operation from the ground.

He added that LSD was tasked with other responsibilities although the state government wanted so much to solve the NCR land issues as soon as possible.

“It is very important for NCR landowners to co-operate with the department. If there are disputes among the landowners, the department will not be able to conduct the survey because we don’t want to be blamed for anything.

“Therefore, landowners must sort out their issues so that the department can do the perimeter survey,” he stressed.

Naroden said he could not state a period for the completion of the perimeter survey, adding: “It could be three years or dragged on to 10 years, it all depends on how co-operative the landowners are.”

He said land titles would be issued as soon as the perimeter survey was completely done.

To a question, he said the department had information on all the land in the state.

“The department (LSD) has area photographs dated way back in the 1920s as well as satellite photos to carry out the survey on NCR land.

“All the area photos, although dated 1920s, are very accurate,” he added.