KUCHING – More than 1.25 million hectares of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land have been surveyed across Sarawak as of 31 August 2026, with the state government now emphasising the need to complete the remaining stages through verification, registration and title issuance.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg said the survey work represented a significant stage in documenting NCR land, but should not be treated as the conclusion of the process.
“I understand that as of 31 August 2026, over 1.25 million hectares of NCR land have been surveyed throughout Sarawak under the New Initiative NCR Land Survey Programme,” he said.
The Premier made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the Sarawak Land and Survey Innovation and Integrity Day (HIITS) 2026 at the Riverside Majestic Hotel in Kuching on 23 September.
He said the government remained committed to accelerating both land surveys and the subsequent issuance of titles so that land rights could be formally documented and managed in a more organised manner.
Abang Johari said the scale of the survey should also be understood in terms of the people and communities connected to the land, rather than simply as a numerical achievement.
He said individual lots and boundaries could be linked to families, their history, livelihoods and the interests of future generations.
“Subsequent efforts must be directed towards an end-to-end resolution – ranging from area identification, surveying, and boundary verification to documentation, registration, and title issuance,” he said.
The Premier said the next phase of work therefore needed to focus on completing the administrative and legal processes that follow surveying.
This includes verifying boundaries, documenting land information, registering the relevant interests and completing the issuance of titles.
Technology, he added, could help speed up surveying operations while improving the accuracy and management of land data. However, technological tools would not replace the need for engagement with those directly affected by the process.
“Technology can accelerate the process, but engagement with landowners, the community, and stakeholders remains crucial,” he said.
Abang Johari said the participation of landowners and communities was important in helping ensure that surveying and boundary-related processes proceeded smoothly.
He also highlighted the importance of clear procedures and effective communication in managing land matters. According to him, greater clarity throughout the process could help minimise disputes while strengthening public confidence in the administration of NCR land.
The comments place emphasis on the period after physical surveying, with the government seeking to ensure that completed survey work progresses through the necessary stages rather than remaining at the mapping or boundary-verification stage.
The Premier said the approach should form part of the wider modernisation of Sarawak’s land administration.
Under this approach, the management of NCR land would encompass the full process from identifying areas for survey to issuing documentation that formally records the relevant land rights.
He stressed that the resolution of NCR land matters must be conducted in an orderly, transparent and fair manner.
The government, he said, has a responsibility to safeguard the rights and interests of the people throughout the process.
The emphasis on completing the full administrative chain also reflects the need to combine technological improvements with community participation and clear procedures.
With more than 1.25 million hectares surveyed by the end of August, the focus now extends beyond the scale of the survey itself to the completion of verification, registration and title issuance for the areas concerned.
