By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 13: A Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowner at Kampung Tanjong Poting, Singai, has found his land drastically reduced in size and cut off from road access following the Sarawak government’s acquisition and remapping exercise, said Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
According to Chong, the landowner, identified only as John, had previously received compensation when part of his roadside NCR land was acquired by the government for road expansion.
At the time, John raised no objections to the acquisition or the amount of compensation paid.
“There was no complaint by him in respect of the acquisition and the compensation,” Chong said in a statement.
However, the situation took a shocking turn when the Land and Survey Department published a new survey map of the area.
The new map showed that not only had the size and shape of John’s land changed significantly, but it was no longer located along the roadside. Instead, it had become a second-lot plot with no access road whatsoever.
“In short, when his land was supposed to be the first lot by the roadside, and that was why the Land and Survey Department acquired part of it for the expansion, now under the new survey map, his land is the second lot. And worst of all, there is no access to it,” Chong claimed.
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, revealed that John, who felt confused and unfairly treated, contacted him through DAP member Richard Lias.
“As a former second-class land surveyor, John felt that this was a serious mistake on the part of the Land and Survey Department.
“The department has a record of his NCR land, which is by the roadside, and that was the reason he was paid compensation for the land acquisition.
“As to how the locality of his land could be shifted to become a second lot with no access, the Land and Survey Department could not give him an answer,” Chong asserted.
Chong further highlighted the serious implications of such a change.
“It is not uncommon that the market value of land by the roadside, or first-lot land, can be double that of a second-lot land with no access.
“Therefore, for John’s NCR land, which for decades has always been by the roadside, to now suddenly become second-lot with no access, his property right has been seriously compromised and greatly affected,” he stressed.
The Padungan assemblyman further said, “Even though John is not within my constituency, I shall render my assistance to seek clarification and explanation from the Land and Survey Department. And if need be, I will push for a re-survey to be carried out on his land.” — DayakDaily
