MUPONG: Residents, particularly the Iban community in Mupong and Teluk Gelam, have been urged to defend their Native Customary Rights (NCR) land to ensure this asset continues to benefit future generations.

Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and UKAS) Datuk Abdullah Saidol said that NCR land is a vital asset carrying long-term value for owners and their families.

According to him, this call aligns with the reminder from Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas for NCR land that has been surveyed and recognized by the government to be continuously safeguarded by its owners.

“The Sarawak Government has made efforts to survey NCR lands so they can be distributed to residents with legitimate claims.

“Therefore, once this land is secured, we hope residents will retain it and not sell it to outside parties who only seek short-term profits,” he said when speaking at the Randau Session with Village Chiefs at Sekolah Kebangsaan Mupong here on Saturday.

Datuk Abdullah added that infrastructure developments, such as the 5.8-kilometre road project, three spur roads, and two bridges valued at approximately RM82 million connecting Mupong to Teluk Gelam as well as the Tanjung Manis-Sarikei-Sibu road, are also expected to unlock more economic opportunities for residents.

In line with this, he reminded the community to view NCR land as a legacy for future generations, while encouraging them to diversify their income sources through livestock farming and agriculture-based downstream industries.

He also urged residents to diversify their sources of income by exploring livestock farming and agricultural downstream industries.

“Do not rely solely on a single source of income. We must look at other existing opportunities, including livestock and downstream industries, so that the products we yield can be processed to deliver better returns to the community,” he said. — UKASnews