By Wendy John
SIBU, 14 Dec: A total of 998 Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowners in Pakoh, Sekuau, Bejait, Seluan and Ulu Tebalai areas calls on the Sarawak government to speed up the process of perimeter survey on their land under Section 18 of the Land Code.
Chairman of Oya, Sekuau and Pakoh Area Development Association, Councilor Henry Kanyan Vincent Rawing said the land, which covers 33,000 hectares, had been gazetted under Section 6 of the Land Code in 2016.
“In early 2017, the Land and Survey Department (LSD) held a dialoque session with all the landowners and notified them of Section 18. However, to date the land has not been measured under that section.
“We hope the government through the LSD can carry out the survey under Section 18 soon and hopefully before the next state election,” he told reporters today.
He said all the landowners were eager for speedier perimeter survey on their land to enable them to develop it.
“As we know, the Sarawak Government is currently actively promoting the agriculture industry.
“As such, they (landowners) also want to respond to the government’s call to develop the land either through private agriculture,” he said, adding that all the owners had been waiting for more than two years for the matter to be realized.
Henry added that Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang had written a number of letters to the authorities concerned on the case, besides raising it in the last state assembly.
“However, to date no action has been taken. We want this land to be measured under Section 18 for the prosperity and well-being of all the landowners,” he said.
He said Christopher who was very much concerned about their land matters, had previously helped land owners in Tamin and Batang Oya.
“We are very fortunate to have people’s representative like Christopher Gira. He has helped many people in the Tamin and Batang Oya on land-related matters. — DayakDaily
