KINABATANGAN, May 11 — The wait by the residents of five villages in Tongod to own their land was finally over when they received the individual native titles from Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal here today.
The residents from Pinangah, Kironggu, Entilibon, Kitumbalang and Telibon have received 60 native land titles presented by Mohd Shafie.
“I have not given any land to the people in Semporna but for the first time as Chief Minister, I give land to the people in Tongod.
“This is our quest to fulfil the promise we made in the last general election,” he said after officiating the Kuamut-level Pesta Kaamatan celebration at Tongod here today.
In the meantime, he also reminded the villagers not to sell the land as it was customary land and it was for the future generations.
Instead, he said they needed to build and develop the land for their own benefits.
Mohd Shafie said the government was always sensitive to helping the people through various approaches, including granting the individual land titles.
“I do not want to be a wealthy chief minister when people in the state are poor. I'm not proud if the people are having hard life that sometimes there is not enough food to eat.
“The real success of a leader does not lie in his wealth, or millions in the bank. Wealth must be shared with the people,” he said.
Also present were Kuamut assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah, Tongod district officer Rashid Abdul Harun and Sabah Land and Survey Department director Datuk Safar Untong. — Bernama
