RURAL development must begin with secure land rights, proper homes, and jobs close to home.
Tamin assemblyman, Christopher Gira Sambang, said the state Government should allocate additional funds to speed up the surveying of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land under Section 6 and Section 18 in the Tamin constituency.
“Land ownership security remained one of the biggest concerns among rural communities, particularly in rural and interior areas such as Tamin and Selangau.
“The issuance of land titles through proper surveying and legal recognition would safeguard the ownership rights of individuals and families for future generations.
“Without proper land titles, many rural landowners faced difficulties in securing ownership recognition, obtaining financial assistance, developing their land commercially, and taking part in larger economic activities,” he said in his debate speech on the motion of appreciation to the Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s address at the DUN Sitting today.
He urged the government to intensify and expedite NCR land surveying programmes in rural and interior areas.
At the same time, he proposed that surveyed NCR land be systematically developed into productive economic sectors and commercial agriculture projects.
He pointed out that sectors with strong potential included bamboo plantation, oil palm cultivation, coffee plantation, agro-based industries and other high-value commodities suitable for rural areas.
“I believe this approach can transform rural land into sustainable economic assets capable of generating long-term income for local communities.
“With proper planning, investment and cooperation between the government, private sector and NCR landowners, rural communities can become active participants in Sarawak’s future economy,” he said.
Gira said the issue was not only about land development, but also about empowering rural communities economically while preserving their rightful ownership over NCR land.
He also highlighted the increasing demand for affordable housing in Selangau, especially among young families, civil servants and the younger generation who wished to continue living and working in the area.
“As more government projects and economic activities are implemented in Selangau, the need for proper and affordable residential development would continue to increase,” he added.
He appealed to the state government to consider implementing an affordable housing project in Selangau town.
He said the project was important not only to accommodate future population growth, but also to support the long-term economic and social development of Selangau.
“Affordable housing will provide better living opportunities for local families, attract young professionals and civil servants to remain in Selangau, support local economic growth, and improve the overall quality of life,” he opined.
“Proper township planning, together with housing development, commercial facilities and public amenities, could transform Selangau into a more organised and progressive regional growth centre in central Sarawak.”
In light of this, he also proposed the establishment of a small and medium industrial area in Pekan Selangau.
“With the rapid development currently taking place in Selangau, I believe the time has come for Selangau to grow not merely as a transit town, but as a new economic growth centre in central Sarawak,” he said.
He said the industrial zone could attract investments in agro-based industries, food processing, timber downstream activities, logistics, digital entrepreneurship, light manufacturing and rural small and medium enterprises.
“This will create more employment opportunities for the younger generation in Selangau and Tamin,” he added.
