Survey of NCR land under Sections 6, 18 in Bidayuh areas ongoing
KUCHING: More than 90 Bidayuh villages have been approved for perimeter survey of native customary rights ( NCR) land, subsequently gazetted as Native Communal Reserve under Section 6 of the State Land Code.
Chairman of Bidayuh Council of Elders Temenggong Austin Dimin said this showed a recent claim that such survey was done in ‘only one or two villages’ is not true at all.
He also said 34 villages had been approved for the individual lot survey, also to be gazetted under Section 6 of the State Land Code.
“Individual titles under Section 18 of State Land Code have also been issued to 3,832 landowners which involve 2,958 agriculture lots.
“The titles have been and will be presented to the landowners at any time, and not just during elections like some people are claiming,” he said yesterday.
Austin was responding to claims made by Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin during the current Parliament sitting on Monday that only ‘one or two villages’ were being surveyed, and the titles only issued before elections.
Willie made the claims when seeking clarification from Batang Sadong MP Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who in her Budget 2020 debate, had queried why the federal government did not allocate funds for native customary rights ( NCR) land perimeter survey for next year.
Willie also claimed that the millions of ringgit allocated for the perimeter survey were not properly utilised because the survey was done mainly on land belonging to ‘ ministers and big towkays’.
Austin said that was also not correct. It is not true to say that the survey was done for a ‘ selected few’ because in as far as the Bidayuh community is concerned, it is the Bidayuh themselves who are benefiting from the survey.
He also said the land titles had been given to the rightful owners throughout the year.
The next one will be held at Bau Civic Centre on Oct 23 for landowners from three villages.
It was held at Tian Sekawan, Serian on Nov 27 last year, Pichin, Serian on Dec 14 last year, and Singai, Bau on Jan 19 this year - all non- election dates.
“Thirteen ‘ bung’ (ancestral settlement sites on hills and mountains) have also been identified, and proposed to be surveyed as communal reserve.
“Eight of the ‘ bungs’ have already been approved and gazetted as communal reserve and heritage centres,” he said.