KUCHING: The state government’s real intention of carrying out perimeter survey of native customary rights (NCR) land is being questioned by a PKR state assemblyman for Krian, Ali Biju.
“Perimeter Survey, on the surface, looks like the Government is pretending to solve NCR problems, but in actual fact it is the Government which is actually creating the problem in the first place.
“Is this what Barisan Nasional is all about, hoodwinking the poor natives and robbing them of their ancestral lands in the name of development?” asked Ali, who is Sarawak PKR vice-chairman.
The PKR leader was commenting on a news report regarding NCR lands at Entebu, Selambung and Bajau Saratok covering an area of 1,024.8 hectares that have been declared as Communal Reserve Land under Section 6 of the Land Code effective from April 7, 2011.
The Section 6 status was granted to the natives in these areas after Perimeter Survey was conducted earlier this year on these lands.
“The natives of Entebu, Selambung and Bajau Saratok must be enlightened on the practical aspect of Section 6. They must be educated on the real worth of the land as Communal Reserve Land as compare to a titled land under Section 18 of the Land Code,” said Ali.
He said: “The danger of Section 6 which many native NCR landowners are not aware of is that once notice is issued under Section 6, the title issued is under the name of the community, not individual landowners.
“And effectively the land is held in trust for the Government by the community.
“Once this happens, this gives the Government the right to extinguish the rights of the landowners at any time and then pay them peanuts as compensation.
“This effectively downgrades NCR status,” Ali warned.
Directing his questions on the Minister in charge of land, Ali said: “Now, how about the rest of the much bigger NCR lands adjacent Entebu, Selambung and Bajau Saratok which are outside the Communal Reserve Land that have just undergone perimeter survey?
“Can the native landowners now feel relieved thinking their NCR lands are outside this perimeter survey? Or are these State lands by virtue of the perimeter surveys?
“Can Provisional Licenses be issued by the Government at its whims and fancies?”
“The rural folk of Krian who have legitimate rights over their lands demand answers, and it is my duty as their representative to demand these answers from the ruling government,” insisted Ali.
Do other Dayak YBs in BN really know the real aim of the perimeter survey? Or are they pretending to be ‘deaf and dumb’?
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