PAKAN – The Sarawak Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Native Customary Rights (NCR) land ownership, with continued progress under the NCR Land Measurement Programme led by the Sarawak Land and Survey Department (JTS).
Speaking at the Handing Over Ceremony of Land Titles under Section 18 of the State Land Code in Pakan, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development II, said the government remains determined to ensure that all Bumiputeras with valid customary rights receive proper recognition of their land.
“As long as there is valid evidence and in accordance with the law that the land is NCR land, the government will continue to ensure that the people’s rights are protected through a transparent measurement and gazetting process,” he said.
At the ceremony, 112 land title deeds were officially handed over to 90 eligible recipients from the Jalan Pakan–Sesco and Pakan–Entabai areas. The event was also attended by Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment; Tan Sri Dato Sri William Mawan Ikom, Pakan State Assemblyman; Badjuri Bidin, Sarikei Division Deputy Resident; and Mohamad Razali Arshad, JTS Assistant Director.
Since the launch of the NCR survey in 2010, JTS has successfully measured 1,217,766 hectares (3.009 million acres) of land across Sarawak. Of this, 938,342 hectares (2.3 million acres) have been gazetted under Section 6 of the State Land Code (KTN).
To date, 105,344 individual lots covering 125,703 hectares (310,618 acres) have been surveyed, with 34,122 lots involving 47,443 hectares (117,234 acres) already issued with land titles under Section 18.
Datuk Amar Awang Tengah urged NCR land claimants to continue cooperating with JTS officers to ensure smooth implementation of the survey process. He stressed that landowners’ involvement in identifying boundaries, resolving disputes, and being present during survey work is crucial to expedite the issuance of individual titles.
The Deputy Premier also highlighted that the NCR Land Measurement Programme is not only about securing ownership, but also about empowering rural communities. By providing legal recognition of land, the government aims to strengthen the socio-economic foundation of indigenous communities, enabling them to participate more actively in development and investment opportunities.
Observers note that the government has accelerated the NCR land measurement process in recent years to address long-standing concerns among rural communities. According to official data, the programme has already benefited thousands of landowners, with more titles expected to be issued in the coming years as surveys expand to additional divisions.
The initiative reflects the state’s broader policy of ensuring that customary land rights are preserved, while also supporting rural development and community well-being.
