KAPIT: A total of 33 Native Communal Reserve gazettes under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code and 65 individual land titles under Section 18 were handed over here on Wednesday as part of continued efforts to survey and recognise Native Customary Rights (NCR) land.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations), Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat, who delivered a speech on behalf of Works Minister and Kapit Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, said the Section 6 gazettes involved 20 longhouses in the Sungai Tau to Sungai Yong area, covering about 4,781 hectares, and another 13 longhouses in the Sungai Kapit area covering about 6,317 hectares.
In addition, 65 surveyed lots covering about 152.43 hectares in Sungai Menuan, Batang Rajang, were issued with Section 18 land titles to 49 individuals.
“This is a clear example of how NCR land surveying continues to be implemented,” Jamit said when reading Nanta’s speech at the presentation ceremony at Dewan Masyarakat Melayu Kapit, Kampung Muhibbah.
According to the speech, the state government introduced the NCR New Initiative Survey Programme in 2010 to accelerate the surveying and recognition of NCR land.
Based on Land and Survey Department data, about 1,246 million hectares had been perimeter-surveyed across Sarawak as of August 31, 2026, of which about 975,413 hectares had been gazetted.
A total of 112,232 individual lots covering about 134,615 hectares had also been surveyed, while 39,973 lots covering about 59,707 hectares had been issued with Section 18 land titles.
“All the costs of these surveying works are fully borne by the government,” the speech stated.
It also stressed that gazettement under Section 6 was not the end of the NCR land surveying process.
“Instead, it is an important initial step which will continue with investigation and individual lot surveying until land titles can be issued,” Jamit said, quoting the speech.
The speech also urged landowners to manage and utilise titled NCR land responsibly as a family asset and legacy for future generations.
“NCR land has the potential to be developed and utilised to generate income and improve family wellbeing,” it said.
It further clarified that NCR land involved in government infrastructure projects was not simply taken away.
“If land acquisition is required for a project, it remains subject to the relevant legal processes and provisions,” the speech said.
During the ceremony, two corporate social responsibility trust fund cheques were also presented, with RM10,000 contributed to SK Nanga Yong and RM12,000 to the management of Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru, Kapit.
