Najib honours promise to rakyat

BETONG: The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has announced RM30mil more for continuing the perimeter survey of native customary rights (NCR) land in Sarawak next year.

“I promise that in next year’s budget, the Federal Government will provide RM30mil extra to continue the perimeter surveys,” Najib said, speaking at Rumah Wilson Begat Bakir, about 30km from here.

“With the additional amount, a lot more will be surveyed and we can finish what we started. The natives will have land. We honour our promises,” he added, making the first of his three Gawai Dayak visits to rural longhouses yesterday.

According to Betong MP, Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas, who is Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, the Sarawak government currently recognises 681,739ha of native land. However, not all have been surveyed and gazetted.

Uggah said about 320,000ha of native land had been surveyed, of which about 152,000ha had been gazetted.
Najib’s visit to Rumah Wilson Begat Bakir was his first.

The longhouse in rural Betong is one of the oldest surviving belian (iron wood) buildings in Malaysia.

During the Prime Minister’s 20-minute speech, he gave special emphasis to Barisan Nasional’s renewed focus on rural development following the 13th general election.

Najib called the rural Sarawak bumiputra “Barisan’s pillar of strength, which is as strong as belian”.

“It is only appropriate for me to say that. With the support from rural areas, your wants and hopes will not be forgotten. I understand you have placed high hopes on Barisan,” he said.

“In the remainder of the 10th Malaysia Plan, and in the next Plan, I promise Barisan will reward rural folk.

“You are the roots and pillars of Barisan.

“With the mandate given to Barisan in the general election, the first step I took as Prime Minister was to appoint the most number of Sarawakian ministers and deputy ministers ever in Malaysia’s cabinet.”
Rumah Wilson Begat Bakir is Uggah’s childhood home.

“What the Prime Minister announced today is the commitment of this Government to resolve the issue of non-surveyed native land,” Uggah told reporters.

“This is not a political gimmick or rhetorics, nor is it an election campaign because the elections are over.
“It shows that we recognise this as a serious issue to be resolved.”

In 2011, the Federal Government began allocating large sums for native land surveys.

Back then, a fund of RM20mil was allocated to start the efforts.

To date, the amount allocated and used is RM60mil.

(Source: The Star Online)