MIRI: Individual land titles will only be issued after the completion of the perimeter survey and after the NCR land has been gazetted.

Minister of Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem said this was necessary as the over 500 applications of perimeter surveys statewide and individual lots surveys was time consuming.

“It is like a cake, you ascertain the size first before cutting it into individual pieces,” he said at the presentation of communal reserves titles to 10 longhouses in Sibuti and Niah here yesterday.

The longhouses are Rumah Baie Suyka and Rh Misoon Timbak in Nanga Salu and Sungai Salu, Rumah Guntor Dayak, Rumah Khajan Abas, Rumah George, Sirai Kidai, Rumah Techoi, Rumah Ngayum Jenggi and Rumah Mandau Empenit.

Adenan said the state government would not force the people to survey their NCR land, while priority would be given to those who cooperate with the Land and Survey Department.

“The issuance of communal reserves titles by the government is proof that certain quarters are lying; accusing the government of taking away the people’s land through the NCR new Initiatives of perimeter survey,” he said.

Adenan said the opposition exploited the NCR land issues for political gains instead of fighting to get their land surveyed and issued with land titles.

“First they accused the government of failing to have NCR land surveyed and when that was done they turned around and accused the government of taking away the people’s lands.

“The government will issue individual land titles under Section 18 in the later stage. It cannot be done now (with communal reserve) as this would take too long and the people will be frustrated with the long wait,” he said.

Sibuti MP Ahmad Lai had earlier said the issuance of communal land reserves was an answer to the frivolous allegations by the opposition in the longhouses during the last general elections.

He accused Radio Free Sarawak of lying about the governments NCR perimeter land survey as a tool to grab land from the natives. saying the issuance of title yesterday was proof of recognition by the state government.

The superintendent of Land and Survey Department here, Unus Tambi, meanwhile said 45 applications of perimeter survey had been received from land owners in the division since the initiative was announced in 2010.

He also said that areas of 9.034 hectares had been gazetted as communal reserves.

Nineteen areas including the one at Sungai Entulang, coverIng 14,286 hectares had been surveyed, he added.

(Source:  The Borneo Post,19 Jun 2013)