Two interesting news items appeared in The Borneo Post and in the Star on 4 November (Thursday) which the readers of this blog may want to comment.
(1) Bayoi warns Opposition not to raise land issues
In The Borneo Post, Frederick Bayoi Manggie (BN-Kedup) yesterday issued a stern warning to those still raising land issues to fish for votes and support.
According to him, land was no more an issue and those who persist in raising the issue to incite hatred against the BN government face the risk “of being chases away from the kampongs”.
“I suggest that those who always use land as an issue to stir the people’s mind to hate and reject Barisan Nasional to stop it right away because once you use this issue of this nature, you will be chased away from that kampung,” Bayoi said when debating the 2011 state budget which was tabled by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Monday.
He commended the initiative of the federal and state government to survey native customary rights (NCR) land which will start at the end of this year.
“All the owners of native customary land in the state have all these years been waiting and expecting the government to survey their land which is very precious and dear to them,” Bayoi said.
“It is hoped that there will be no or fewer land problems in the rural areas.”
Bayoi also appealed to the government to get rid of red tapes whenever villagers apply for their lands to be surveyed.
“Our people now have high expectation of BN to survey their native customary right land. Please kindly do not fail to meet this high expectation.
“If there are technical problems which may cause delays in surveying their land, please help them to rectify the problems in a very diplomatic manner so that the people will always be happy and have high confidence in our government to them.”
(1) Bayoi warns Opposition not to raise land issues
In The Borneo Post, Frederick Bayoi Manggie (BN-Kedup) yesterday issued a stern warning to those still raising land issues to fish for votes and support.
According to him, land was no more an issue and those who persist in raising the issue to incite hatred against the BN government face the risk “of being chases away from the kampongs”.
“I suggest that those who always use land as an issue to stir the people’s mind to hate and reject Barisan Nasional to stop it right away because once you use this issue of this nature, you will be chased away from that kampung,” Bayoi said when debating the 2011 state budget which was tabled by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Monday.
He commended the initiative of the federal and state government to survey native customary rights (NCR) land which will start at the end of this year.
“All the owners of native customary land in the state have all these years been waiting and expecting the government to survey their land which is very precious and dear to them,” Bayoi said.
“It is hoped that there will be no or fewer land problems in the rural areas.”
Bayoi also appealed to the government to get rid of red tapes whenever villagers apply for their lands to be surveyed.
“Our people now have high expectation of BN to survey their native customary right land. Please kindly do not fail to meet this high expectation.
“If there are technical problems which may cause delays in surveying their land, please help them to rectify the problems in a very diplomatic manner so that the people will always be happy and have high confidence in our government to them.”
(2) Verify land with dept first
In the Star, Community leaders or “tuai rumah” found certifying transactions for native customary rights (NCR) land without verifying them with the Land and Survey Department will be taken to court.
Planning and Resource Management Assistant Minister Mohd Naroden Majais told the State Assembly yesterday that these community leaders would be charged under Section 210(e) of the Land Code which carries a fine or a jail term.
“The worst scenario is when these “tuai rumah” certify the wrong land which could belong to others, causing disputes and quarrels,” he said during question time.
He said for joint venture projects, landowners and investors should consult the department first to verify the status of a particular parcel of land to avoid running foul of the law.
“Investors would risk losing big,” Naroden warned.
“Furthermore, for any genuine NCR land, the investor must be either a native or have been deemed a native for the purpose of developing the land under the provision of the Land Code. Otherwise the agreement would not be proper".
Naroden said this was why the government encouraged NCR land to be developed under the new development concept in which the Land Custody Development Authority was entrusted as the managing agent. – The Broken Shield
