More officers to speed up NCR land surveys

SIBU: The State Government has increased its workforce to 467 officers to expedite Native Customary Rights (NCR) land surveys, with an average of RM30 million allocated annually to cover operating expenses.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the increase in manpower was a key measure to strengthen the capacity of the Sarawak Land and Survey Department to carry out surveys involving extensive and widely dispersed areas of customary land throughout the state.

In total, the State government is allocating RM40 million annually for the purpose, far exceeding the RM2 million allocated by the federal government.

The allocation reflects the state’s commitment to protecting the land ownership rights of the Bumiputera community.

Awang Tengah said the new NCR Land Survey Initiative, launched in 2010, had enabled the Sarawak Land and Survey Department to survey 1,248,659 hectares as at October 31, 2026.

He said this was equivalent to about three million acres, compared with only 260,000 hectares surveyed over more than five decades before the initiative was introduced.

Of the total, 976,434 hectares, or approximately 2.42 million acres, had undergone perimeter surveys.

“This proves that the government is not silent in fighting for the rights of NCR landowners. We have made much greater efforts through a structured approach to ensure that the community’s customary land is identified, measured and given due recognition,” he said at the presentation of Section 6, Bumiputera Communal Reserve and Section 18 land compensation cheque presentation ceremony for Sibu Division on Thursday (Nov. 12) at Lakis Hall.

A total of 106 landowners received land titles under Section 6, while another 158 received titles under Section 18.

Meanwhile, 165 recipients involving 72.98152 hectares of land received a total of RM12,686,021 in compensation at the ceremony.

Awang Tengah said the initiative involved two methods: perimeter surveys under Section 6 of the State Land Code and individual lot surveys under Section 18.

To date, 112,717 individual lots covering 135,330 hectares had been surveyed, with title deeds issued to eligible owners.

He said landowners receiving titles under Section 18 were exempted from land premiums and land tax, while the state government fully bore the survey costs.

He stressed that applications must be submitted through the Land and Survey Department to allow proper verification and consultation with residents and stakeholders.

“We do not want the government to simply enter an area and face allegations that it intends to seize people’s land. Everything must be done with consent and through the proper procedures,” he said.

Survey work in areas involving ongoing court proceedings would be postponed until the cases were concluded. Landowners wishing to participate in the programme must withdraw their cases before applying, he said.

Awang Tengah said recognising NCR land rights was not merely about issuing title documents but also protecting the community’s heritage and ensuring ownership could be passed on to future generations.

He added that customary land provided not only places to live but also timber for building houses and boats, as well as forest products for daily use.

On land acquisition for development, he said infrastructure projects such as roads, drainage, water and electricity supplies, schools and health facilities required land.

However, acquisition for public purposes must comply with the State Land Code, Chapter 81 and Article 13 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees property rights and appropriate compensation.

“We cannot build roads or drains that hang in the air. However, the rights of landowners must still be respected,” he said.

He urged the community to continue cooperating with the Land and Survey Department to facilitate surveys, gazetting and the issuance of title documents.

He also assured that the state government would continue accelerating NCR land surveys if given the people’s mandate in the coming election.