CM's formula ends land row
Published on: Thursday, October 23, 2014
Larry Ralon and Rayner MajantimPAITAN: Some 300 families in four villages within Mukim Tangkarason – about an hour's ride from Paitan township – have every reason to smile as the Government has finally resolved their long overdue land ownership problem.
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Each of the families would finally get Land Title for the land they have worked on, thanks to the Pantas (Permohonan Tanah Anak Negeri Sabah) programme, the latest initiative implemented by the Government for assisting natives who encountered land ownership problems. Mukim Tangkarason, under the Sugut state constituency, is one of the first in the State to benefit from this programme, the brainchild of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and implemented by the State Land and Survey Department using Federal Government funding.
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About 50 per cent of the native land ownership problems in Sugud are expected to be resolved when these families get the titles for their respective lands, said Sugut Assemblyman Datuk James Ratib.
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He earlier chaired a dialogue between the department and villagers concerned, in conjunction with the start of the Pantas programme at the mukimat Kg Tangkarason community hall on Tuesday. Thanking the Chief Minister for helping him to finally resolve one of the main problems in Sugut and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for being very caring and attentive to the people's problem, James hopes the families concerned can now continue to work on the land and pass it down to their next generation and not sell it. He also hoped all the village community leaders and villagers there to give their full support and collaboration to the department especially its surveyors so it can be completed smoothly and fast. This programme would only involve four villages already identified in the mukim, namely Kampung Tangkarason, Kg Bawang, Kg Musingapu and Kg Kupolod, he said, adding it may probably be extended to the five other villages there if there was a need for it. "If there is a need it may be extended to the other villages in this mukim," said James, referring to Kg Maidan, Kg Pinampadan, Kg Kaindagan, Kg Golong and Kg Pinangkau. "If there are requests from villagers of the other villages, then I would request for their lands to also be surveyed…I believe there are many lands which have already been developed by the villagers here," he said."After we resolve the land ownership problem in Mukim Tangkarason, we would successfully resolve about 50 per cent of such problems in Sugut…we would solve all these in stages," he continued. James had pledged to resolve the long overdue land problems in the constituency in his 2013 General Election's manifesto."I am happy because I managed to get many of the land problems in the constituency resolved…this is the first phase for me to settle all our land problems," he said. Apart from Mukim Tangkarason, Pantas programme was also launched in Sandakan that day. But the Pantas programme there would only start next year. According to the department, the Pantas programme is totally different from the Communal Title (another initiative to resolve native land ownership problem) because this programme allows a native to get a title for the land he/she has worked on for more than three years which he/she can claim right of ownership, as long as it is on State land and not under Forest Reserve. Under this programme, a native cannot apply for title for a land which he/she has not worked on. But if he/she did make an official application for the land and the application is still pending approval and not overlapping with other application by another native, then he/she can apply for it be surveyed under Pantas to get the land title. The department dedicated most of its resources, particularly for the surveying work, to speed up the land application process and issuance of land title under this programme. A village head also plays an important role in this programme, to ensure no conflicts arise particularly when it involves applied lands bordering one another. Three of the department's surveying teams also arrived at Kg Tangkarason that day, while another two teams would arrive on Wednesday. The department was reported to have been receiving overwhelming requests for this programme from throughout the State since it was started. Tangkarason Mukim Developer Jupida Rumanji, when met, meanwhile, said he was happy with the way the Pantas programme was being implemented, based on the briefing provided by the department, and hoped the programme can be extended to the rest villages in the mukim should there be a need. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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