SEMPORNA, Aug 3 — The recipients of pioneer land titles from the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) and customary land in this district today were reminded by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal not to sell the land to others.
Mohd Shafie said the owners or beneficiaries of these lands should develop them and not let them remain vacant or overgrown with lalang.
“Do not sell the land, please. It should be developed, put to good use, do not just plant oil palm, diversify to other crops such as durians, pomelos, and other fruits which have a high demand,” he said at the ceremony to hand over the SLDB land titles and individual customary land titles here.
At the event, 97 people received the SLDB land titles and 437 individual customary land titles.
Mohd Shafie also called on the Sabah Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry to supply seeds or products to the recipient of the land titles so that these lands could be developed.
He added that the state government would continue to give land titles to deserving people in all districts in Sabah.
“These lands are not big but what is important is that the people benefit,” he said, adding similar efforts were made in Tongod and Tambunan, and after this in Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kalabakan, Pensiangan and Keningau.
Meanwhile, a recipient of the SLDB land, Asmin Maddai, 50, welcomed Mohd Shafie’s call to diversify crops in SLDB lands.
“At present, we are planting oil palms in the Pegagau Plan land, after this I want to suggest planting durian or pineapple,” he said, adding that he was thankful to the state government for the land title.
Zainal Abu Kassim, 56, was one year old when his father Abu Kassim Ahmad became an SLDB settler.
He said he had waited for more than 50 years for the land title.
“Right now, the land is planted with oil palms, after this, my sister and I will plant other crops,” he said.
Both Asmin and Zainal said they would never sell the land as their fathers had worked on it and fought hard to get the land titles. — Bernama
