MUKAH: Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia that gives free lands to the people and they are also exempted from paying survey fees, premiums and land rent.

Disclosing this yesterday, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said the land would then belong to them forever.

“Where on earth you can get this kind of gift, free land, no premium, surveying cost bore by the government, no land rent while the term of the title is in perpetuity. If I was not mistaken, Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia that comes up with such an approach,” he said.

He stated this while officiating at the Presentation of Traditional Village Land.Titles and Land Application Approval Letter event held at Dewan Suarah Mesra Mukah, here.

He added that it was not only implemented this time around but from time to time.

“All this is possible following a caring and committed leadership that always look into the welfare of the people while developing the state as above all things in its development agenda. Hence, we give our former Chief Minister and now Head of State a big hand for his sound leadership and for this priceless gift as normally land is very dear to the people, he added.

He reiterated that the development of Mukah had been very significant since Pehin Sri Taib was the State Assemblyman for Balingian, and formed a lethal development combination with Mukah Member of Parliament, Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad, that eventually transformed Mukah as it is today.

A total of 530 land titles issued under section 18 of the Land Code to the land owners from Kpg Litong Mukah, Kpg Bunut, Kpg Teh, Kpg Teh Labak and Kpg Sungai Alo, and letters of approval for 151 lots at Ulu Sungai Tellian area were presented at the function.

Hence, he called upon the people of Mukah Division to continue to stand firmly behind the existing BN government to ensure continuous development in the area.

“For that we have to rally behind our Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Adenan Haji Satem so that the development we are enjoying now would remain to be a trend for Mukah Division and State in general for many years to come,” he added.

With Balingian by-election just around the corner, he urged the people to give an undivided support to the BN candidate.

“This by election is very significance, and whoever is the BN candidate just give him or her a hundred per cent support. It is also a way of thanking the former Chief Minister for his enormous contribution to Mukah and State in general and also to show our undivided support for our new Chief Minister,” Tengah urged.

On the event, he hoped the land owners would make full use of the priceless gifts not only for the prosperity of themselves as the land owners, but also the family and the community in general.

Besides Tengah, Mukah Member of Parliament, Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad and
Mukah Division Land and Survey Department Superintendant, Awang Zamhari Awang Mahmood also spoke at the event.

Also present were Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development, Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah, Assistant Minister of Environment and Assistant Minister of Promotion of Technical Education, Datuk Haji Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister of Investment and Promotion and Assistant Minister of Rural Development, Haji Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications) Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Chief Political Secretary to the Chief Minister and Semop State Assemblyman, Abdullah Saidol, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister and Jemoreng State Assemblyman, Abu Saman Jahwie, Daro State Assemblyman, Dr Murni Suhaili, State Land and Survey Director, Datu Sazeli Kipli, Mukah District Officer, Shafrie
Saul, heads of department and local community leaders.

(Source:  New Sarawak Tribune,14 March 2014)