KUCHING, Sept 3 — Sarawak PKR’s top priority following a state election victory would be to restore and protect by way of legislation and amendments of native customary right (NCR) of customary land of the people of Sarawak, said its chairman Larry Sng.
He said in a statement today that the ruling Sarawak government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and its previous form of Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak had consistently failed to ensure the protection and legal rights of customary lands.
“There is more than enough land in Sarawak for every citizen.
“As we are all aware, the people’s NCR lands were sold and leased at very low prices to commercial logging companies and developers of palm oil estates,” he said.
He said a new PKR-led state government would see the enhancement of the role and functions of Sarawak’s Land and Survey Department to properly conduct perimeter mapping and land survey studies.
“Funds will be provided to carry out a complete study which can accurately identify the NCR land boundaries and expedite the issue of ‘Land Titles/Deeds’.
“The new government will also work closely with local communities and Sarawak Native Customs Council (MAIS). These surveys will be completed within a five-year period,” said the Julau MP.
He also said a Special Land Tribunal would be established immediately to arbitrate and resolve disputes over land rights and boundaries of customary land and settlement of overdue cases.
“Development undertaken in the native domain or territory must be in accordance with sustainable and environmentally friendly models, taking into account socio-cultural factors of surrounding communities, and it must enlist the active participation of Sarawak’s ‘anak jati’, the native people and their unique history with their menoa in Sarawak.
“We will review all current concessions, prioritising those where complaints have been lodged,” he added.
Apart from that, Sng said if Sarawak PKR was given the mandate to form the state government, it would also implement a sustainable and progressive Environment and Forestry Policy through a ‘rakyat-centred’ reforestation programme to protect the environment and economically empower local communities through international climate change carbon off setting schemes.
“We will pay communities to reforest their land and protect the environment for generations to come. These policies will enable us to restore Sarawak’s wealth to the majority rather than concentrating it in the minority hands of a few elite political families and timber tycoons,” he said.
He said these goals were all clearly achievable as land rights are under the purview of the state government and do not require federal government intervention.
“GPS and its component parties have had 57 years to implement these reforms but their failure to do so amounts to gross neglect of the rights and well-being of the people of Sarawak,” he said. — Borneo Post
