SIBU: The majority of owners have accepted a government programme to survey the perimeters of their native customary rights (NCR) land under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.
This is despite the relentless accusations, instigations and lies of the opposition to boycott the free service.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said he was very happy that they had accepted the move aimed at marking the boundaries between state and NCR land.
He said this during a land forum dinner last Sunday night which was attended by 400 community leaders and senior civil servants from Sibu, Kapit, Sarikei and Mukah divisions.
“I am very thankful that the landowners have accepted the programme as it can help solve problems later on,” he said.
Out of the estimated 1.5 million hectares of NCR land, Uggah said about 900,000 hectares already had their perimeters surveyed.
“Of these, about 800,000 had been gazetted to date. This amply indicates the majority of the owners have accepted the Section 6 programme,” he said.
He, therefore, hoped that the community leaders could talk to the landowners who have yet to get their land surveyed.
“They have been reluctant to give their permissions because they had been wrongly influenced or instigated.
“There are many evil, selfish instigators who are relentless in getting landowners to derail the government’s programme to suit their agenda.
“They claim that it as an attempt by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government to steal the people’s land,” he said.
Uggah, who is also Second Finance Minister and the Minister of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development, called on this group to substantiate their accusations.
“Tell us how many of the about 900,000 hectares surveyed had been taken by the government. Provide proof instead of making daily accusations on social media,” he stressed.
Uggah also told that a certain elected representative of Pakatan Harapan (PH) government had been telling the people that the state government would not compensate them for their land acquired for new school, hospital and road projects.
“He can be seen speaking on social media about this. Again, this is another monstrous lie,” he said.
He pointed that the government’s procedure is if it acquires land for development purposes, fair compensation for that land is mandatory.
Uggah went on to explain that the next move for the government was to do the Section 18 survey to mark individual land lots for the purpose of giving land titles.
“So my advice to landowners who have rejected the Section 6 survey, please accept it. Your refusal will mean you will be sadly left out. I hope our community leaders would explain the government objectives to them,” he said.
State Secretary Datuk Jaul Samion who spoke earlier called on the respective Residents, District Officers and others to also explain and communicate with the people about the purpose of the amended land Bill.
