Sarawak: The Sarawak government is intensifying efforts to expedite the measurement and granting of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land ownership to secure the rights of the people to their customary land, stated Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. The initiative aims to streamline the process, ensuring it is conducted swiftly and systematically across the region.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, since the NCR Land Measurement Programme began in 2010, the Sarawak Land and Survey Department has successfully surveyed more than 1.21 million hectares of land by perimeter. Out of this, 938,342 hectares have been officially gazetted as Native Communal Reserves under Section 6 of the State Land Code (SLC). The programme is significant for providing official recognition to NCR landowners through the issuance of land titles under Section 18 of the State Land Code, ensuring clear land boundaries that prevent encroachments.
As of September 30, 2025, a total of 105,344 individual lots have been surveyed, covering an area of 125,703 hectares. Out of these, 34,122 lots have been issued land titles, encompassing an area of 47,443 hectares. During a recent land title handover ceremony for the Pakan-Sesco/Pakan-Entabai Road Area at Rumah Jetphare Empali in Pakan, 112 land titles were presented to 90 recipients from the Iban community.
Awang Tengah highlighted the necessity of collaboration from the community, tribal chiefs, and NCR landowners to ensure the programme’s successful implementation. He stated that without this cooperation, the processes of surveying and issuing land ownership certificates would face delays. The Sarawak government aims for the programme to run smoothly to fully protect the rights of the people.
Furthermore, Awang Tengah assured that the measurement work is free of charge, with no fees or payments required from landowners. The land ownership granted under Section 18 of the Sarawak Land Code is permanent and exempt from land tax and premium. He also advised landowners against selling their NCR land for short-term profit and instead encouraged them to utilize it for productive agriculture and economic activities. The government, through the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Sarawak (M-FICORD), offers assistance and programmes to develop NCR land.