KUCHING, Aug 28: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has to highlight that fact that Bakelalan assemblyman Baru Bian 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.
Such is the view of Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala who believed though it was the community leaders who requested for perimeter survey for Baru’s village, the latter must have knowledge of it.
“As YB Baru has been a very vocal critic and has persistently objected to the perimeter survey of NCR (native customary rights) land under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, Datuk Amar Douglas was just highlighting the undeniable fact that YB Baru and his family members have benefitted and obtained Section 18 title to their NCR land as a result of Section 6 perimeter survey regardless of whether or not they had applied for Section 6 survey,” said Gerawat who is Sarawak Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker.
Gerawat said according to the Land and Survey record, it was the Ketua Kaum who applied for Section 6 survey on behalf of the community. Land and Survey held open dialogues with members of the community to explain the Section 6 survey and sought their permission to proceed.
“Surely YB Baru would have known and could have objected to the Section 6 survey of his family NCR land, but he kept quiet until YB Datuk Amar Douglas pointed it out.
“YB Datuk Amar is not questioning YB Baru’s right as a native or for that matter, any other Sarawak natives, to be issued titles to their NCR land under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code. This is the policy of the state government to issue titles to NCR land owners.
“Datuk Amar Douglas never said that Section 6 gazette after survey is a land title in itself which can be sold or charged to the bank as implied by YB Baru. He also never said that Section 6 survey is a precondition to Section 18 title.
“What was said is that the survey under Section 6 is a more efficient and faster process to issue Section 18 titles,” said Gerawat.
Uggah had on Wednesday unveiled the fact that Baru and his family had benefited from Section 6 and Section 18, where the latter’ 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, and getting rid of the step under Section 6, came out with a statement, stressing that he did not apply for his and his family land to be surveyed under Section 6 and it is his rights to his NCR land. — DayakDaily
