KUCHING, Sept 29 —The Sarawak state government has given the assurance that traditional village land would be surveyed and marked as native customary rights (NCR) land.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said it was to ensure that natives could claim ownership of their respective lot, which cannot be sold or categorised as mixed zone land.

"What I mean by traditional land are villages that have existed before 1958 so that natives can get land title for their home.

"This is among the state government’s latest policies in its efforts to protect and conserve bumiputera customary land. To this end, the government has established Yayasan Amanah Satok,” he said at the handing over of land titles to 59 residents in Kampung Kudei Baru here today.

He said 18,000 land titles had been issued in Kuching alone. — Bernama