Abdul Karim presents a land title certificate to a landowner while (from left) Mohamad Irwan, Mohammad Zunica and Abdullah Julaihi look on.
 

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Dec 13): A total of 296 landowners and 164 individuals in the Samarahan division received land titles and compensation cheques totalling RM19.28 million.

The ceremony recognised landowners from four key areas – Kampung Entingan, Kampung Nangka, Kampung Mang in Muara Tuang and Kampung Sri Tajo in Asajaya.

A total of 173 land titles were awarded, covering 452.33 hectares.

In addition, compensation cheques were distributed for two regional projects – Village Expansion Scheme (SPK) Beliong and 275kV Kuching Network Reinforcement Project.

SPK Beliong was designed to address overcrowding in local villages, and saw cheques awarded to 21 recipients totalling RM2.74 million, whereas the 275kV Kuching Network Reinforcement Project provided RM16.5 million in compensation to 143 recipients.

Deputy Premier and Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, highlighted the significance of land ownership to the Bumiputera community in Sarawak, especially under the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land programme.

“The Native Customary Rights Land Surveying Programme is a critical step towards securing the rightful ownership of land for our people.

“Since its initiation in 2010, over 1.1 million hectares of NCR land has been surveyed, and today we are seeing the results of that effort,” he said in a text speech read by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during the cheque presentation ceremony at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) Sarawak Campus here today.

Meanwhile, Land and Survey Department superintendent (Samarahan Division) Mohammad Zunica Mohamad Sapi’ee said the NCR programme is implemented in two phases.

“The first phase involves perimeter surveys and the gazetting of lands under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, while the second phase focuses on surveying individual lots and issuing land titles under Section 18,” he said.

Mohammad Zunica hailed the ceremony as “an important milestone in the development and welfare of the Samarahan Division community, further solidifying the state government’s commitment to supporting the region’s growth and improving the living conditions of its residents”.

Also present were Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development permanent secretary Datu Abdullah Julaihi and Samarahan Resident Mohamad Irwan Bahari Bujang.

When met by reporters later, Abdul Karim said one of the proposed locations for the new international airport and port for Kuching is at Tanjung Embang, remarking it as an ‘open secret’.

“The development of a new airport and port is set to bring significant economic benefits to these regions,” he said, adding that the proposed location would create ripple effects that benefit the areas of Samarahan, Asajaya and Kuching.