Sarawak deputy premier says over 1.21 million hectares surveyed under NCR programme, with land titles granted to secure native customary rights
SARIKEI: The Sarawak government remains committed to expediting the measurement and granting of Native Customary Rights land ownership to protect community land rights.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan stated this process ensures systematic and faster recognition of native land ownership across the state.
He revealed that since the NCR Land Measurement Programme began in 2010, the Sarawak Land and Survey Department has surveyed over 1.21 million hectares of land.
From this total, 938,342 hectares have been officially gazetted as Native Communal Reserves under Section 6 of the State Land Code.
Awang Tengah emphasised the programme’s importance in providing official land title recognition through Section 18 of the State Land Code.
“It also ensures that the land boundaries are clear and not easily encroached upon,” he said during a land title handover ceremony at Rumah Jetphare Empali in Pakan.
He reported that as of September 30, 2025, a total of 105,344 individual lots covering 125,703 hectares had been successfully surveyed.
Land titles have been issued for 34,122 lots covering 47,443 hectares under the programme.
During the ceremony, 112 land titles were presented to 90 Iban community recipients from the Pakan–Sesco and Pakan–Entabai road areas.
Awang Tengah stressed that full cooperation from communities, tribal chiefs, and land owners is essential for smooth programme implementation.
“Without the cooperation of all parties, the process of surveying and issuing land ownership certificates will be delayed.”
He assured that all measurement work is conducted free of charge with no fees imposed on landowners.
Land ownership granted under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code is permanent and exempt from land tax and premium payments.
The deputy premier urged landowners not to sell their NCR land for short-term profit but to utilise it for income generation.
“Use this land for productive agriculture and economic activities to strengthen the rural community’s economy.”
He highlighted that the government provides various assistance programmes through the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development to develop NCR land. – Bernama
