Sarawak to amend state land code?

KUCHING: Sarawak government intends to amend the State land code to allow sale and purchase of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land among the natives regardless of where these lands are located.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the Land Code Amendment  Bill would be tabled for approval in the State Assembly sitting in  November this year.

"The amendment to the land code would enable the natives to buy  any NCR land in any place in the state because if we limit the sale and  purchase of NCR land only to members of natives in particular place or longhouse, the value of the land is almost valueless," the chief  minister told a press conference at his office here today.

At present NCR land owners are prohibited under the state land  code to sell their land to native buyers from different longhouses or  areas.

"This was applicable 200 or 300 years ago because the idea at  that time was to confine the land to the community and in those days of  course, land was only for farming but nowadays land is also for  commercial and industrial activities.

"So the law must adapt to the changes. It will therefore come  November we will be introducing the amendment to the land code so that  any native can buy NCR land and also sell them to any other members  either to the Malay, Iban, Bidayuh or the Orang Ulu," he added.

He said the amendment to the land code had nothing to do with the non-natives because the transactions were only allowed between native to native.

On a separate matter, Adenan said there had been a lot of comment  made on the Sarawak government prohibiting the entry of certain people into the state. 

"Some said why only opposition leaders not Barisan people are stopped from entering the state. 

"I will adress this matter in the coming sitting of the State  Assembly in May," said Adenan. -- BERNAMA