Community Cooperation Key To Success Of Bidayuh NCR Land Documentation
PADAWAN: Efforts to strengthen the documentation of Bidayuh native customary rights (NCR) land are being intensified through a collaborative approach involving the community, local leaders and relevant agencies to ensure that Bumiputera customary land rights continue to be safeguarded.
Sarawak Deputy Minister of Transport (Aviation and Road) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil said that the documentation of customary land has become increasingly urgent in light of rapid development, particularly in Bidayuh areas located near urban centres such as Padawan, Bau, Serian and their surrounding areas.
According to him, failure to properly manage and document customary land could lead to conflicts among villagers, while also creating opportunities for external parties to take advantage.
“Land documentation is not only important to protect rights, but also to prevent overlapping claims and conflicts within the community.
“It also serves as a foundation for more structured development planning,” he said when officiating at the Briefing and Dialogue Session for the Bidayuh Customary Land Documentation Project at Dewan @ Barei Biperoh Kuching on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Mambong Assemblyman informed that the government, together with the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA), has faced various challenges since 2007 in refining standard operating procedures related to land documentation, including addressing weaknesses and complaints at the grassroots level.
He stressed that every documentation process must be carried out transparently and with the consent of all parties at the village level to avoid misunderstandings, particularly regarding payments and the implementation of fieldwork.
In this regard, he proposed that priority be given to areas with agricultural development potential, such as coffee planting schemes, as proper land documentation would enhance land value and facilitate local economic development planning.
In a related development, he said that several villages are expected to receive land titles in the near future as a result of the documentation efforts carried out, while several other areas are currently undergoing perimeter surveys under Section 6.
Also present were DBNA Bidayuh Customary Land Documentation Project Chairman Datu William Nyigor, DBNA Bidayuh Customary Land Chairman Dr Charlie Unggang, Bau District Officer Eddy Nayoi and Padawan Sub-District Office representative Paul Mathiues Akin. -UKASnews
