SELANGAU: Native Customary Rights (NCR) land owners should discard any negative perceptions they may have about those who strive to help them develop their land.
Minister in Premier’s Office, Datuk John Sikie Tayai said, they should look at the long-term result as the effort will bring profit to the land owners themselves.
“Land that is not developed will be lost, our children will not know about it (land) later. From the point of demarcation of the land with other owners, they also will not know. If there is an individual who cheats on the demarcation, some of our lands will belong to someone else.
“Those who live in longhouses know about their land, compared to those who live in the city.
Therefore, before the land is overgrown with weeds, we need to develop the land,” he said at the opening of the New Palm Oil Plantation, Sungai Bawang, Selangau, on today (March 11).
He applauded the longhouse residents for their continuous effort to develop their land.
“All of you should work together in developing each other’s land. I see that your land here is still vast and has not been developed yet and has not provided any yields. Hence, those who have ideas to develop land, hold a meeting to discuss and establish an Area Development Committee (ADC).
“Make the area that has been developed as a reference, ask the residents in that area how they developed the land,” he said.
He hoped that the efforts of the longhouse residents in their new agriculture venture will be successful and advised them to manage all letters of agreement needed properly.
“The process must be in black and white with a lawyer as your witness, not just by word of mouth, this is to avoid problems in the future,” he stressed.
Also present were Selangau Member of Parliament, Edwin Banta, and others.
