Masing says will meet Adenan on amendment to Land Code
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing has given his assurance that he will speak to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem on the Dayak community’s wish for the State Land Code to be amended to include ‘pemakai menua’ and ‘pulau galau’ as NCR lands.
He agreed that there must be an amendment to the Land Code to define ‘pemakai menua’.
“There must be a force of law that will define what is ‘pemakai menua’.” he told reporters after presenting minor rural project ( MRP) grants to 22 recipients from non- governmental organisations ( NGOs), religious institutions, associations and village development and security committees (JKKK) at his office in Masja Complex here yesterday.
Masing, who is Infrastructure Development and Transportation Minister, explained that there were three ways to define ‘temuda’, ‘ pulau galau’ and ‘ pemakai menua’.
“For ‘ Temuda’, it means any land cleared before 1958 is NCR land. There’s no dispute on it. On the other hand, ‘ pulau galau’ is undisputed as NCR land as the very definition of ‘galau’ means it is NCR land.”
On ‘ pemakai menua’, he described it as “NCR land but with limitations.”
“You cannot have ‘ pemakai menua’ from sunrise to sunset. That is impossible because there are other people living in Sarawak apart from the Dayak community. I agree that the tradition of ‘ pemakai menua’ is where the Dayak community hunt, forage and fish. But that needs limitation.
“If there is no demarcation between ‘pemakai menua’ it will be a fight among longhouses. Therefore, there must be a body that defines to what extent is the ‘pemakai menua’. We are not the only stakeholders of land, so let us not be too ‘ Dayak- centric’ when looking at ‘pemakai menua’,” he emphasised.
Asked if PRS will be submitting a memorandum on this matter to the chief minister, the PRS president did not see the need for the party to do so.
“I am part of the government so I can talk to the chief minister. There’s no need for a memorandum. That is the advantage of being part of the government. Those who are
If there is no demarcation between ‘pemakai menua’ it will be a fight among longhouses. Therefore, there must be a body that defines to what extent is the ‘pemakai menua’. We are not the only stakeholders of land, so let us not be too ‘Dayak-centric’ when looking at ‘pemakai menua’. Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Deputy Chief Minister
not, they have to do a memorandum to be heard,” he said.
Meanwhile, 22 recipients comprising NGOs, religious institutions, associations and village development and security committees (JKKKs) received the MRP grant of RM322,000 from Masing yesterday.
“This grant is the remaining allocation for 2016 totalling RM2.4 million. The majority have been given to the recipients in Kapit about a few weeks ago,” said the Baleh assemblyman.
“It is my hope that the money will be used well. Religious organisations will use it for the propagation of religious beliefs, sports associations to use it to train our younger talents to do better in the year to come and the JKKKs to use it wisely.”
Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan was also present at the function.