MIRI, Sept 6 — Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg today said the state government stopped approving applications for oil palm plantations or timber concessions on land it owned these past five years.
He added that the decision to do so was made by his predecessor Tan Sri Adenan Satem and that he had not changed it.
“What we do have now were approved before Adenan became the chief minister in 2014,” he said at the opening of native customary rights (NCR) land forum here.
“However, those which have been approved in the past will be continued to operate because of the legal implications,” said Abang Johari, who is also the state urban development and resources, minister.
At the same time, he said the state government will not stop oil palm smallholdings or planting of oil palm on NCR lands.
He reminded the owners of NCR land not to convert their property into mixed zones, saying that they will lose the native status of the lands if they do so.
He hoped that the owners will not sell their NCR lands for quick monetary benefits.
