Immediate response to grievances

CLOSE INTERACTION: Awang Tengah greeting the villagers of Kampung Rayan during the leaders-meet-the-people session on Thursday.

Minister promises prompt action to address NCR land issues at Kampung Rayang

KUCHING: Issues on compensation for acquired land and issuance of NCR titles affecting villagers at Kampung Rayang in Serian will be solved soon.

This assurance was given by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan when told of the plight of the villagers by Kampung Rayang community leader Jim Bujang during a leaders-meet-the-people session at the village on Thursday.

The grouses concerned delay by the government in compensating 17 villagers whose land were acquired for the building of access roads into Kampung Rayang, located in Mambong parliamentary constituency.

Another complaint brought up by Jim was that Native Customary Rights land titles had not been issued to seven villagers.

“I was actually blown away by the courageous yet honest speech (by Jim).

“My ministry will look into the issue and the Land and Survey Department will be roped in to conduct perimeter survey on the affected land immediately,” Awang Tengah promised.

He stressed to those present that the state government would never acquire the people’s land without paying compensation.

He said the Land and Survey department had conducted perimeter survey on more than 380,000 hectares of NCR land in the state since 2010.

On a related matter, Awang Tengah said it was important for the Bumiputera community to defend their special right to NCR land.

“If Pakatan Rakyat becomes the government, their policy

would be to introduce the `Malaysian Malaysia’ concept, which abolishes the right to NCR ownership.

“Right now they (opposition) are merely fanning NCR issues for political mileage.”

He reiterated that the true defenders of NCR land was Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who fought against the abolishment of NCR land status in 1965.

On Mambong constituency, he said the government pumped in RM751.7 million for development there.

“Under the Rural Electricity Supply programme, an allocation of RM85.6 million was allocated, while for Rural Water Supply the allocation was RM500 million.”

For roads, he added, an allocation of RM120 million was given.

“Some of these projects have been completed and others still on-going.”

BN candidate for Mambong Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit, who was also present, advised the Bidayuhs in the area to tap the tourism industry.

“The tourism industry is the second biggest industry in Malaysia. It generated RM60 billion for the nation’s coffers last year,” said Dawos, who is also Deputy Minister of Tourism.

He suggested that the villagers pursue home-stay initiatives or become tour guides to earn more income.

“We have many eco-tourism products in Mambong, and they should not go to waste.”

He said another attractive feature of Mambong for tourists was that it is only an hour’s drive from here.-theborneopost