IN the heart of Sarawak, a transformation has been going on. The once untouched jungles are now thriving plantations, thanks to the efforts of the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA). However, this journey towards progress has not been without its challenges.
It is a story of scepticism turned into belief, of rumours dispelled by dividends, and of once-sceptical hearts now filled with gratitude. The journey of land development in Sarawak has not only changed landscapes but also lives.
Initially, I felt sad that many longhouses in Sarawak, even those situated closer to town centres, were not reaping the full benefits of development. This was partly due to a negative mindset among the locals, which hindered their ability to embrace progress fully.
Their limited understanding of the true meaning of development and progress had further impeded their ability to fully benefit from these advancements, despite their proximity to them.
Many harboured misconceptions, particularly about land development initiatives by SALCRA, viewing them as attempts by the government to seize native lands.
This mistrust led to tensions among the local population, especially during the mid-1990s, fuelled by coffee shop gossip and rumours cautioning landowners against such projects.
Ironically, much of this fearmongering came from individuals who did not own any native customary land themselves. They spread baseless rumours that undermined the intentions of these development efforts. Initially, some landowners believed these rumours.
However, by 1997, many of them were laughing their way to the bank as they began receiving substantial dividends from their land, which had been cultivated with oil palm plantations under SALCRA’s development programmes. Their NCR (Native Customary Rights) lands were converted to Mixed Zone status, allowing for more lucrative land use.
Today, in the Melupa area of Saratok, landowners are enjoying the benefits of SALCRA’s development initiatives. My family owns three plots of land affected by this programme, and my two brothers have been handling our accounts diligently.
While I have yet to receive my share of the dividends, they have assured me that my portion is accounted for, and I am looking forward to receiving it soon.
Over the past five years, the Melupa area has been transformed into a thriving palm oil plantation, replacing the once-untouched jungles with highly productive land.
It is now difficult to locate certain landmarks from my childhood, such as Letung Naga (Dragon Lake), where my late father once claimed to have seen a dragon-like figure hissing on the lake’s surface during his early morning rubber-tapping days.
He later recounted a dream in which he met a man claiming to be Keling, the Iban folklore hero from Panggau Libau (the Raised World), who revealed himself as the dragon. This story inspired the title of one of my earlier columns, ‘Dragon by Day, Keling by Night’, which also appears in my book, ‘Longhouse to City’ (2022).
Similarly, the Bila Dua durian orchard, located further up the Melupa, has been entirely transformed. The area now boasts well-paved roads connecting it to the Betaang hinterland. These developments, brought about by SALCRA, have significantly improved infrastructure and brought tangible benefits to the local population.
One person who exemplifies the success of this transformation is my cousin-in-law, Tuai Rumah Untan Sajok of Tanjung Sikup. He owns three sizable plots of land under the palm oil development programme and is very content with the dividends he receives.
The harvested oil palms from this area are processed at the Saratok Palm Oil Mill (SAPOM), located near the Melupa Bridge, just below our longhouse in Kedap, Saratok.
This facility was built on what used to be our family’s farming lot at Sungai Entili, along the lower Melupa River, about 18 kilometres from Saratok town. My late father received compensation for this land, which brought him some comfort in his later years.
SAPOM is a well-equipped facility, complete with barracks for workers, machinery buildings, and other essential structures. Hundreds of workers, many of whom hail from nearby areas like Tanjung Sikup, Sungai Belung, Munggu Embawang, Pelaie, and Mendas longhouses, now work there. It is the central processing hub for fresh fruit bunches (FFB) harvested from plantations throughout the region.
I still recall the scepticism that surrounded SALCRA’s early land development efforts in the 1990s. Many locals were wary of “lending” their NCR land to the government for development.
Gradually, however, this scepticism faded as landowners began to see the dividends roll in – some even receiving five-figure sums. I remember my two elder brothers laughing as they watched our father’s hands tremble when he received his first five-figure cheque. They had set aside RM7,000 for me, which they handed over when I returned home for a holiday from Brunei Darussalam.
Today, areas like Saratok, Roban and Debak are fully cultivated with oil palm plantations, with some older plots already replanted with new crops. My plot of land in the Temudok Batu Kudi area, now over a decade old, continues to produce, and I occasionally find pleasant surprises in my account from the dividends.
To sum up, SALCRA has successfully fulfilled its mission to bring development to rural communities by transforming virgin jungles into profitable plantations. This progress has silenced the critics and sceptics, proving that such initiatives can truly uplift the livelihoods of the local population.
As I eagerly await my share of the dividends, it serves as a reminder of the tangible impact that development initiatives can have on the lives of individuals and communities. The journey from scepticism to belief, from fear to gratitude, is a testament to the power of progress and the possibilities that lie ahead.
