By Famas

KAPIT:  Hulu Rajang Member of  Parliament, Datuk Billy Abit Joo, said the 1 Malaysia concept had truly been practiced by the government to reach out to the people in all areas including the remote areas of Baleh and Belaga.

The concept is practiced through out the country and as the people’s elected representative, he needs to go to the ground to meet the people to receive their feedback to be forwarded to the government for the next course of action.

He said this while officiating a “Leader with The People” dialogue session organized by the Community Development Department (KEMAS) here at Rumah Laso, Nanga Antawau, upper Baleh River recently.

Commenting on the government’s new initiative on Native Customary Rights Land (NCR) perimeter survey, he said he was informed by the people in Antawau that they had arguments regarding the boundaries of their NCR lands to be surveyed.  The survey of NCR land had been a thorny issue with the people in the interior for a long time. 

Billy informed them he had voiced his concern over the matter in Parliament from the time when Tun Mahathir was Prime Minister until Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak became the current Prime Minister.  In view of the urgency of the matter, he (Najib) had allocated RM60 million to survey all outstanding NCR land in Sarawak.  Since 2010, the Land and Survey Department had already identified all NCR land in Sarawak, he added.

“I urge the longhouse people to give permission and cooperate with the Lands and Survey Department to survey their land. Any dispute regarding the boundaries or perimeter can be resolved after this,” he said.

He reminded the people about the difficulty of carrying out the surveying work in the interior especially with the natural hilly terrain in areas such as the Baleh and that his constituency was not the only area that the Lands and Survey Department had to cover.

“Only after these lands had been surveyed and given titles then the proper government authorities, depending on the crops planted such as RISDA, MPOB, Malaysian Pepper Board, can come in and assist in developing the land,” he said.

At the function, Billy announced a RM10,000 grant for JKKK Rumah Laso and another RM24,000 grant to three surrounding longhouses namely Rumah Nabau (RM7000), Rumah Langa (RM70000) and Rumah Tajai (RM10,000).

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (rural District Council), Datuk John Sikie Tayai who also spoke at the function, has advised the people to be proactive and also to participate in homestay programmes.

“The people in the longhouse themselves must take their own initiative first to improve their livelihoods such as planting suitable crops, seeking the proper education and not just being contented with a laid back mentality.  People who excel in life even in the longhouses need to work for it,” he said.

He reminded the people in Antawau that they are fortunate to have capable, knowledgeable and experienced leaders such as Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing and Datuk Billy Abit Joo.

Kapit Resident, Dahim Nadot, in his remarks at the function highlighted three major points to the residents of Antawau namely the tourism potential in Rumah Laso the five-year development plan of the government for the area and the Baleh-Kapit Raft Safari to be held from 23 to 24 September.

He encouraged the longhouse folks to participate in the Homestay Programmes of the government, stating that especially Rumah Laso and other longhouses around Antawau had great tourism potential with its beautiful environment.

He informed that big projects including infrastructure projects including infrastructure projects that had been planned by the government such as the road project to connect the rural areas such as Antawau were in the planning stage and would commence eventually.  He added that even road linkages form Kapit to Bintulu were in the planning stage.

Present also at the function were a Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Walikota of Kapit District Council, Philimon Nuing, Pemanca David Dian, Penghulu Jampi, Tuai Rumah Nabau, Tuai Rumah Lasu, Tuai  Rumah Langa dan Tuai Rumah Tajai.

(Source:  Sarawak Tribune 30 August 2011)