Latest news with #NativeCustomaryRights
Borneo Post
18-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Cultivate rice to boost Sarawak's food security, Dr Rundi tells NCR landowners
Dr Rundi visits one of the booths during the expo. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad KOTA SAMARAHAN (July 18): Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowners are being urged to participate in rice cultivation initiatives – whether on a small or large scale – as part of efforts to strengthen food security and reduce the heavy reliance on oil palm plantations. Sarawak Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, said currently, almost 83 per cent of land designated for commodities is being used for oil palm cultivation due to its established supply chain and lucrative returns. However, he cautioned that over-dependence on oil palm could jeopardise the state's food security, especially in times of crisis, such as war or disruptions in rice imports. 'We must always be prepared. That is why food security is important. Rice is our staple food. I urge farmers not to wait for large-scale projects. 'Even behind your homes, there may be one or two acres of land – use modern methods to plant rice for your own use. If there is a surplus, it can be sold,' he said. He made these remarks when officiating the Agriculture Mini Expo 2025 organised by the Sarawak State Farmers Organisation (PPNS), held at the PPNS Hall here today. Dr Rundi explained that rice cultivation can be done on a larger scale by mobilising villagers or longhouse communities to collectively work on their land and plant the same rice variety. 'If each person has three or four acres of land, when combined across an entire village or longhouse, it can amount to about 100 acres,' he said. Dr Rundi also called on farmers to go further by adopting teamwork and collaborative approaches, similar to those practised by farming communities in Thailand. According to him, Thai farmers have successfully developed agricultural products collectively without relying entirely on government assistance. 'Whatever they do – be it 'pandan' coconut, aquaculture, or others – they do it as a team. They would identify one product idea, and everyone in that area would produce it together. They don't depend on the government for support. 'This is in stark contrast to local farmers who tend to wait for assistance before initiating their own efforts. 'If we rely too heavily on aid, our spirit and commitment will never be as strong as those (in Thailand) who started on their own initiative,' he added. Commenting on the expo, which runs until tomorrow, Dr Rundi described it as a crucial event in exposing farmers to new technologies, smart farming methods, and market access. The expo brings together 45 exhibitors and features a variety of attractions such as local agricultural product exhibitions; modern farming demonstrations; knowledge-sharing sessions from agencies and successful entrepreneurs; sales of agro-food and rural products; and interactive community programmes. The farming community are encouraged to take advantage of the expo and support PPNS' ongoing commitment to improving the socioeconomic status of its members. The Agriculture Mini Expo 2025 is the first of its kind organised by PPNS, and is expected to open up more economic opportunities for agropreneurs, particularly in areas such as product development, access to financing, and market expansion. The programme is also expected to grow into an annual highlight and contribute significantly to the development of the state's agri-food sector. Among those present were Dr Rundi's deputy ministers Datuk Martin Ben and Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail who is also PPNS chairman; Samarahan Division Resident Mohamad Irwan Bujang; District officer Ahmad Abdul Razak; Sarawak Agriculture Department director Dominic Chunggat; and PPNS general manager Gom Raway. Dr Stephen Rundi Utom food security NCR landowners rice cultivation
Borneo Post
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Ba Kelalan rep urges ex-gratia for villagers affected by SSLR project, NCR land ruling
Baru says many compensation claims were rejected by the Land and Survey Department due to conflicts between state regulations and the native 'adat' definition of NCR land. – Chimon Upon MIRI (July 15): Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian has called for ex-gratia payments to villagers whose traditional lands have been classified as state land due to restrictive interpretations of Native Customary Rights (NCR). He raised the issue following concerns from rural communities affected by the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) project, which he visited recently. Baru said many compensation claims were rejected by the Land and Survey Department due to conflicts between state regulations and the native 'adat' (customary) definition of NCR land. During a visit to Long Sukang and Long Semadoh today, Baru highlighted the impact of the Federal Court's ruling in the 'TR Sandah' case. The decision limited NCR recognition to land cultivated before Jan 1, 1958. 'This is a very restrictive definition of the law which I understand as a legal practitioner, but illogical to the simple minded native people in the interior of Sarawak whose 'adat' on land differs significantly from the present recent decision of the court,' he said. He noted that some lots, though surrounded by recognised NCR land, are now classified as state land simply because they were not cultivated before 1958. 'This is causing significant distress among the affected communities. 'I therefore urge the authorities to consider ex-gratia payments for these state lands as a compassionate gesture to acknowledge the 'adat' claims although lacking formal legal recognition,' he said. Baru said such payments would reflect the government's commitment to supporting rural communities facing potential loss of their ancestral land. Nevertheless, he also encouraged villagers to view the SSLR project as an opportunity for economic growth. He assured them of his support in addressing any issues with contractors or authorities. Baru Bian ncr land SSLR project
Borneo Post
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
‘Sik dengar bedok': Fazzrudin clarifies Sarawak's NCR efforts in response to Nurul Izzah
Fazzrudin says Nurul Izzah's remarks seemed to suggest concern for Sarawak but overlooked the extensive efforts already undertaken by the state government. KUCHING (June 28): PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar would have had a better understanding of the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land issue in Sarawak if she had paid closer attention, instead of merely 'melepas batuk di tangga' (saying half-heartedly), said Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, Chief Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier. In a Facebook post today, Fazzrudin said Nurul Izzah appeared disconnected from the realities on the ground, referencing a local expression 'sik dengar bedok' (not aware of what's happening). 'But thanks to her for seemingly showing concern. Probably she thinks the Sarawak state election is near,' he added. Fazzrudin was responding to Nurul Izzah's recent statement calling for faster action on land surveys and ownership approvals for NCR land in Sarawak, and a halt to the issuance of new licences on disputed land. He said Nurul Izzah's remarks seemed to suggest concern for Sarawak but overlooked the extensive efforts already undertaken by the state government. Fazzrudin explained that since October 2010, the Sarawak government, in collaboration with the federal government and with additional funds, has implemented the NCR Land Survey Programme to improve recognition of NCR land rights. Between the 1960s and 2010, a total of 260,000 hectares of NCR land were surveyed and titles issued. Since the implementation of the new initiative in 2010, the progress has been significant. 'From October 2010 to May 2025, a total of 1,203,003 hectares of NCR land have been measured perimeter-wise. Once it has been measured and gazetted as NCR under section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code, the rights of the landowners are guaranteed,' he said. Fazzrudin explained that the next phase — dividing the land into individual lots — is more complex and time-consuming due to overlapping claims and the requirement for landowners to be present during boundary verification. 'In addition, there are also overlapping claims that need to be resolved. Sometimes the process takes time,' he said. Despite these challenges, he said the state government has successfully continued to measure and issue individual titles, and remains fully committed to the programme 'We even went a step further by amending our land code, namely, apart from NCR land areas, land occupied by communities can be legally recognised through NTD (Native Territorial Domain). 'In addition, we have stopped applications for government land for large-scale plantation purposes since March 2015. 'But if there is more detailed information about the NCR location that he mentioned, we can investigate and solve it together,' Fazzrudin added. fazzrudin abdul rahman Land Survey ncr land nurul izzah
Borneo Post
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Putrajaya should continue providing funding for S'wak's NCR land survey initiative, says Awg Tengah
Awang Tengah speaks to reporters when met at PBB HQ today. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (June 28): The federal government should continue providing funding for the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land survey initiative in Sarawak if it is genuinely concerned about the issue, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. 'If she (Nurul Izzah) is truly concerned about this issue, I hope the federal government will continue to provide funding,' he told reporters at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here today. Awang Tengah was commenting on PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar's recent statement urging the federal government to expedite NCR land surveys and ownership approvals, and to halt the issuance of new licences on disputed land. He said Sarawak has made significant strides in surveying NCR land since the introduction of the New NCR Land Survey Initiative in 2010. 'Perhaps she is unaware of the developments and the successes we have achieved. Since 2010, we have implemented the NCR land survey through a new initiative carried out in two stages — first, perimeter surveying, and second, individual lot surveying. All of this is based on applications from the communities,' he said. To date, more than 1.2 million hectares of NCR land have been surveyed under the initiative. 'Almost one million hectares have been issued documentation under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code,' he added. He said the second phase, which involves surveying individual lots, begins once the land is gazetted under Section 6 and applications are submitted by the landowners. 'We have already implemented this, and the success has been significant. This is a much faster method.' Awang Tengah noted that before the 2010 initiative, various approaches were used to carry out land surveys, including through resettlement programmes dating back to the 1960s. 'Over more than 50 years, we managed to survey only around 260,000 hectares. Compare that to what we have achieved since 2010 — the results have increased many times over,' he said. He stressed that the Sarawak government is fully committed to continuing the initiative and has already allocated RM40 million to support it. 'This funding can be applied for if needed. In addition, we have deployed over 370 officers to carry out the survey work, all funded by the Sarawak government,' he said, adding that annual spending on the initiative amounts to no less than RM30 million. 'This is an ongoing effort. We continue to receive applications, and each is considered accordingly.' He also underscored the importance of cooperation from landowners, especially for individual surveys. 'They must be present on the ground to verify their boundaries. This is not something we do haphazardly,' he said. 'Once approval is granted, we engage directly with the communities involved. We hold dialogues, verify evidence and boundary claims, and everything is done transparently. With agreement and cooperation, the process can be accelerated.' Touching on legal disputes involving NCR land, Awang Tengah advised claimants to either wait for court rulings or withdraw their cases if they wish to join the survey initiative. 'If they are interested in joining the programme, they should withdraw the case from court and submit their applications. Everything is based on voluntary application,' he said. Awang Tengah Land Survey NCR nurul izzah
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
