MIRI: Natives of Ba Kelalan in the Limbang Division want their land to be surveyed under the ongoing perimeter survey exercise.

Ba’Kelalan assemblyman Nelson Balan Rining noted that in the past several days, five villages had given their cooperation to the Land and Survey Department here to carry out the survey.

Yesterday, a total of 2,006 landowners from Long Sukang and Punan Berayong had agreed to allow their lands to be surveyed with immediate effect.

The survey includes 658 hectares of land belonging to 1,789 landowners in Punan Berayong and 252 hectares for the 217 landowners at Long Sukang.

“This is a positive move and I am very pleased that these landowners were keen to have their land surveyed which in the long run benefits the people themselves, as the initiative is one of the means to increase the economic value of their lands.  Consequently increase their quality of life,” said Nelson to The Borneo Post in a telephone interview after attending a dialogue at Long Sukang, Lawas.

The dialogue was officiated by Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum “Agong while the briefing was conducted by Land and Survey Department Superintendent Awang Zamhari Mahmud.

Nelson disclosed that since last Tuesday a total of 544 landowners from three areas – Batu 2 Lawas, Kampung Pangi and Simpang Jalan Trusan Lawas have also signed agreement allowing eh perimeter survey be carried out on a total of 651 hectares of lands in their areas.

The survey works are expected to be carried out within 20 days in Batu 2 Lawas, 16 days respectively in Kampung Pangi and Simpang Jalan Trusan Lawas.

“This is for landowners benefit as the ultimate aim of the New Initiative is to ensure all NCR land in the state is surveyed and issued with title.

“This will go a long way in protecting the ownership of native land and the rights of all native landowners in the State,” urged Nelson.

The land, after the completion of survey work will be gazetted as Native Communal Reserve under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.

The survey of NCR land under the New Initiative is an ongoing process and will continue until the end of Tenth Malaysia Plan which is until 2015.

(Source:  The Borneo Post, 14 January 2011)