SRI AMAN: The owners of Native Customary Right (NCR) lands are urged not to be fooled by instigations from the opposition which is now desperate to have the support of the rural people.

Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Research & Marketing), Datuk Mong Dagang, in urging this, said the opposition presently wanted to make an issue out of the NCR Land New Initiative by claiming to the people that the government wanted to seize their lands using the programme.

The government has already allocated a large sum of money to implement the programme so that the people will benefit after their lands are surveyed under the programme.

Moreover, many NCR lands have been developed by the government with commercial agricultural projects such as the plantation of oil palm, rubber and the like.

“This proves that we endeavor to help the people live better lives and we are not robbing the people of their lands, said Mong.

Speaking at the presentation of Minor Rural Project (MRP) grants for the Bukit Begunan Constituency in Saint John Chapel in Melugu, here last Friday, Mong also urged the MRP recipients to use the government financial assistance the best they could for the benefit of the people in their areas.

At the ceremony, Mong presented MRP cheques totalling RM127,000 to 24 Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs), women’s bureaus and associations in the areas of Banting, Batu Besai, Melugu, Panggil, Selepong and Gua.

He also announced an allocation of RM5,000 for the Women Fellowship of Saint John Chapel next year.

Also present at the ceremony last Friday were Mong’s personal secretary, Howard Tambom, a representative of Sri Aman Information Office, Salleh Imun, chairman of Saint John Chapel Patrick Indit, Councillors Ronald Chenghir and Milu Gue.

(Source:  New Sarawak Tribune, 10 December 2013)