Kuching: The Sarawak Land and Survey Department has successfully surveyed 1,217,766 hectares of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, with 938,342 hectares formally gazetted since 2010, announced Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the state government has gazetted 12 localities covering a total area of 12,370.232 hectares, which includes 36 villages such as Kampung Tebakang Dayak, Kampung Semuja, and Kampung Seniawan. The lands have been gazetted under Section 6 of the State Land Code as Native Communal Reserves.

Awang Tengah highlighted the ongoing efforts in the surveying of individual lots and the issuance of Section 18 KTN Title Deeds following the gazetting under Section 6. He emphasized that the surveying process requires the consent of land claimants and the absence of boundary disputes.

The Deputy Premier stressed the importance of cooperation from tribal leaders, community leaders, and landowners to ensure the smooth implementation of this program. He noted that surveys would proceed only after receiving valid applications from NCR land claimants, which are reviewed based on legal and valid evidence. Additionally, cases pending in court will not be surveyed until their resolution.

During the same ceremony, RM9,867,937.55 in compensation was distributed to 57 recipients for infrastructure development projects in the Serian area.