Latest news with #SarawakLandCode
Borneo Post
10-06-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Longhouse chief thanks govt for undertaking NCR land survey over Ng Ensilai in Kapit
TR Jambon Andas KAPIT (June 10): The chieftain of a 45-unit longhouse at Nanga Ensilai, on the west bank of Rajang River opposite this town, is thankful for surveying works undertaken by the state government to ensure ownership of individual Native Customary Rights (NCR) land lots. According to Tuai Rumah Jambon Andas, the Land and Survey Department is set to kick off Phase II perimeter survey under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code, meant for the individual landowners. 'Phase I survey under Section 6 of the Code was completed in 2020, meant for the communal land titles. 'On behalf of my longhouse folks, we are very happy that Land and Survey Department has commenced the Phase II surveying. 'The surveyors have been on the ground since April. 'On our part, we make sure that the NCR land claimants from Nanga Ensilai are fully cooperating with the surveyors and working closely with them in identifying the land boundaries. 'This is meant to help smoothen and expedite the surveying works. For this, I also wish to thank the individual landowners for such a solid cooperation,' said Jambon when met here recently. The longhouse chieftain also expressed gratitude to Works Minister and Kapit MP Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, and Deputy Minister in Sarawak Premier's Department (Native Customs and Laws) and Bukit Goram assemblyman Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat, for their strong support in facilitating the NCR land perimeter survey over Nanga Ensilai. Jambon Andas longhouse native customary rights land NCR land survey
Borneo Post
30-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Doppa demands ‘no risk' exemption from EU for indigenous Dayak palm oil farmers
Data from Sarawak shows 48,000 independent smallholders are actively involved in supplying the 85 mills that process their oil palm harvests. – Bernama photo KUCHING (May 30): The Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) is calling on the European Union (EU) to grant a 'no risk' exemption for indigenous farmers in Sarawak, following the EU's decision to classify Malaysia as Standard Risk under its deforestation regulations. The livelihoods of the indigenous people in Sarawak who depend on farming will be affected if the EU fails to take into account the negative impacts of the listing on the indigenous people in Sarawak, Doppa President Napolean R. Ningkos said in a press statement today. 'Doppa sees the EU as an unjust body that failed to engage directly with those most affected by the regulations and relied instead on misinformation created by third parties to exclude smallholders in Sarawak from the EU market,' he claimed. Data from Sarawak shows 48,000 independent smallholders are actively involved in supplying the 85 mills that process their oil palm harvests. 'Our concern is that while established big plantation companies may have the ability to provide proof of traceability for corporate oil palm plantations, the amount of paperwork required under Standard Risk may push corporate mills that supply the EU market to cut off independent smallholders,' he stressed. He also criticised the EU's reliance on satellite mapping to monitor compliance, arguing that such technology is flawed when applied to indigenous lands in Sarawak. 'There is zero risk of deforestation for palm oil by Dayak farmers in Sarawak. All of our farms, whether existing or to be planted after the compliance date on December 2025, will be on old farmlands.' 'Satellite mapping is faulty in that it may detect activity on overgrown fallow lands as new deforestation,' he said. 'The EU must be informed that the indigenous Dayaks of Sarawak were largely subsistence farmers who practised shifting cultivation before switching to oil palm cultivation in the 1990s. 'Our farms can only be cultivated after land titles are granted under the Sarawak Land Code, which recognises Native Customary Rights (NCR) as legitimate land ownership. The baseline for obtaining a land title is that our forefathers must have already developed the land,' he explained. He urged the EU to recognise that no forests were cleared for oil palm, cocoa, or rubber farms operated by indigenous Dayak smallholders. 'The oil palm fruits produced by Dayak farmers in Sarawak represent one of the clearest examples of a no-deforestation supply. Yet, the EU's regulations threaten to remove us from their market,' he said. Doppa insists that granting a 'no risk' exemption is the only fair way to ensure indigenous farmers are not punished by regulations they are unequipped to comply with.
Borneo Post
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Perimeter surveys completed on over 1.2 mln ha NCR land as of April 30, says Awang Tengah
Land and Survey Department personnel conduct an NRC land perimeter survey in Sri Aman. — Bernama file photo KUCHING (May 28): A total area of approximately 1,200,766 ha or 2,967,093 acres of the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land have been successfully surveyed by perimeter under the New Initiative NCR Land Survey Programme from October 2010 until April 30 this year. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said from that figure, around 935,760 ha or 2,312,263 acres have been gazetted as Bumiputera Communal Reserve (Agriculture) under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code. 'These surveying works are conducted based on applications from the relevant parties. 'Since 2017, the focus has also included the surveying of individual lots for the issuance of land titles under Section 18, specifically in gazetted areas, based on applications and the readiness of the claimants. 'As of April 30, 2025, a total of 99,438 individual lots covering 118,749 ha or 293,429 acres have been successfully surveyed, and land titles have been or will be issued under Section 18,' he said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) here today. He said to expedite the surveying of individual NCR land lots, claimants must be present during fieldwork, clearly mark their land boundaries, and avoid disputes to ensure a smoother process. 'The Sarawak government is committed to ensuring the continuity of this programme and will continue to allocate the necessary funding, in addition to funds received from the federal government,' added Awang Tengah. Awang Tengah Ali Hasan lead NCR land survey
Borneo Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Len Talif: 30 areas in Opar approved for NCR land perimeter surveys, over 1,400 titles issued
Len Talif said 10 villages have been approved. Of these, two villages have been fully surveyed, with 415 land titles issued for one of them. – Roy KUCHING (May 22): A total of 30 areas within the Opar constituency have been approved for perimeter surveys of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land as of April 30 this year, said Sarawak Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh. Of the 30 areas, 26 have been surveyed, with 18 gazetted as Native Communal Reserves (Agriculture) while several other areas are still undergoing the survey process, including one facing objections, he said. 'In the second phase, nine areas have been approved for individual lot surveys, with three areas completed and five others still in progress,' said Len Talif at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today, in response to a question from Opar assemblyman Billy Sujang. He also reported that 1,411 land titles have been issued under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code. Regarding traditional village land surveys, Len Talif said 10 villages have been approved. Of these, two villages have been fully surveyed, with 415 land titles issued for one of them. 'Surveys for the remaining eight villages will commence soon, subject to the readiness of the land claimants on the ground,' he added. During a supplementary question session, Len Talif emphasised that the effectiveness of the survey process depends heavily on cooperation from the applicants. 'Land claimants must be prepared for their land to be surveyed by identifying and marking boundaries, and by submitting a rough sketch plan along with a list of claimants' names,' he explained. He noted that areas affected by disputes or the absence of claimant presence in the field have experienced delays in the survey process. 'Let us work together to resolve any disputes and disagreements among claimants to ensure the successful surveying of individual lots and the timely issuance of land titles,' he said. On the survey of 'pemakai menoa' and 'pulau galau' (native territorial domain), Len Talif said that Sarawak Bumiputera communities may submit their claims by completing the NTD A form, which is available at the Land and Survey Department counters or can be downloaded from the department's website. DUN Land Survey Len Talif NCR
Borneo Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
PBDS voices concern over inclusion of wakaf in Sarawak Land Code
Dr John Brian Anthony KUCHING (May 22): Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) has expressed deep concern over any proposal to incorporate provisions related to 'wakaf' – the Islamic endowment system – into the Sarawak Land Code. Its permanent chairman Dr John Brian Anthony said the introduction of wakaf into the Sarawak Land Code could create a dual land ownership framework that complicates land administration and weakens the clarity of property rights. 'This could have unintended consequences for development, inheritance, and dispute resolution—especially for mixed-religion or indigenous communities,' he said in a statement. He was commenting on the Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was passed during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Tuesday. Among the important provisions in the Bill includes the introduction of Section 171A, which formalises the registration of wakaf land in the Land Registry. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who tabled the Bill, explained that the move empowers the Majlis Islam Sarawak and also extends to other religions with similar practices, reinforcing Sarawak's inclusive approach to land rights and religious diversity. In this regard, John Brian pointed out that while PBDS respects and recognises the importance of religious freedom, the party also emphasises the need to preserve Sarawak's unique legal and cultural identity. 'Sarawak is a model of religious and cultural diversity. Introducing wakaf laws into civil land legislation risks upsetting this balance by creating perceptions of religious favouritism and state-sanctioned religious encroachment into secular legal systems,' he said. 'For Dayak and other native communities, land is not just an economic asset but it is tied to ancestry, tradition, and identity. 'The idea of a parallel land system based on religious principles raises serious alarm and may erode confidence in the impartiality of our land laws,' he added. Moreover, he also stressed that Sarawak's land laws are governed under its own jurisdiction as guaranteed by the Malaysia Agreement 1963. 'We reject any attempt – direct or indirect – to import religious land systems that may be influenced by federal institutions or ideologies not rooted in Sarawak's legal traditions.' As such, John Brian said the people of Sarawak, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, deserve to be fully consulted on any changes to land laws. He reiterated that no major legal reform should be pushed through without transparent, inclusive engagement with stakeholders, civil society, and local communities. 'We call on the Sarawak government to halt any proposal to introduce wakaf laws into the Land Code until full public consultation is held and guarantees are given that Sarawak's multicultural fabric and state autonomy will not be compromised,' he said. Dr John Brian Anthony lead PBDS Sarawak Land Code wakaf
