KUCHING, Aug 28: Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian denies having any knowledge that the Land and Survey Department had conducted a survey on his area under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.
He demanded that Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Idris Buang and Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala provide evidence that he and his family were informed of the intention of the Land and Survey department to survey their native customary rights (NCR) land.
“I wish to repeat a very pertinent fact that these two YBs chose to ignore: My family members and I did not know that the Land and Survey Department had conducted a survey of my area under section 6 of the Land Code. We neither applied for the survey nor were we informed of it.
“I demand evidence from Idris Buang, Gerawat Gala and the relevant authority that they had informed me or my family members that the Land and Survey Department intended to survey my area under section 6 where the said lots were located,” said Baru in a statement today.
He said if he were to know of the intention of the Land and Survey Department, he would have objected to it.
“Had I been informed, I definitely would have objected and advised Land and Survey to directly issue the titles under section 18 of the Land Code, because obviously, it would have saved time and cost,” said Baru who is also Selangau MP.
He told Idris, Gerawat and other Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) politicians, to stop the “illogical arguments”.
“So, Idris Buang, Gerawat Gala and all other GPS politicians in the list to fire more empty bullets, please stop your illogical arguments.
“Why blame Baru Bian for your government’s unwise policy that wastes time and money? These long and rambling statements are nothing but empty noise which only serves to raise speculation that the elections are imminent, and these politicians are only trying to score points with their political masters.
“My stand is still the same. Survey NCR lands immediately under section 18. Do not waste time and money on double work when you can issue titles under Section 18,” said Baru.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas had on Wednesday unveiled the fact that Baru and his family had benefited from Section 6 and Section 18, where the latter’s land was surveyed and individual titles duly given.
In response to Uggah, Baru, who has been advocating perimeter survey to be carried out directly under Section 18, came out with a statement, stressing that he did not apply for his and his family’s land to be surveyed under Section 6 and it is his right to his NCR land.
Following Baru’s statement, Idris pointed out that Baru could have objected to his land being surveyed under Section 6 but the latter did not, resulting in subsequent successful survey of the land under Section 18.
Meanwhile, Gerawat said Uggah had to highlight that fact that Baru is a beneficiary of Section 6 of Sarawak Land Code as the latter has been a vocal critic against perimeter survey done under Section 6.
Gerawat believed that although the request for the perimeter survey came from the community leaders from Baru’s village, the latter must have knowledge of it.— DayakDaily
