SIBU: Sarawak will persist with the New Initiative NCR Land Measurement Program for as long as necessary to ensure that people’s rights to Native Customary Rights (NCR) land are fully protected, says Deputy Premier Tan Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.
Speaking during a land title presentation ceremony in Sibu Division on Monday (Sept 30), Awang Tengah emphasised that the initiative, which is free of charge, will continue as long as claimants can legally prove the validity of their NCR land.
“We will carry on with this program and the land survey will be conducted without any fees. It is completely free for the people,” he stated, while presenting land titles under Section 6 to 26 longhouse chieftains, covering a total of 661 hectares and under Section 18 to 574 individuals, covering 2.055 hectares.
The government, Awang Tengah noted, will issue land titles under Section 18 of the State Land Code, which come with permanent tenure and are exempt from land tax and premiums. “This is our commitment to the people, ensuring their benefit,” he said.
Since the initiative’s launch in 2010, the NCR land measurement process has been accelerated, providing landowners with formal documentation, clearer boundaries and protection against encroachment.
“As of August 31, 2024, the Sarawak Land and Survey Department has conducted perimeter surveys for approximately 1,155,022 hectares of NCR land statewide, with 910,183 hectares gazetted. This demonstrates the program’s extensive reach,” he added.
The NCR Land Measurement Program consists of two phases: first, the perimeter measurement and gazetting of land as Bumiputera Communal Reserve (Agriculture) under Section 6 of the State Land Code. The second phase involves measuring individual lots and issuing land titles under Section 18 of the Code.
