The development of NCR land under the government’s Native Estate Development program should be able to convert the land to become assets and have economic values. Otherwise, they remain like “Tajau” the traditional jars and other things just for keeping. Regrettably, some of the Native land owners, who have been influenced by unfriendly NGOs do not benefit from the program. Now they still own properties that do not have values.
Rightly, they should take necessary steps to care of their land, organise their way of working and work together to develop their Native Customary Rights land for commercial purposes.
They should ignore negative propaganda by the opposition that the government is acquiring and grabbing lands from the people on the pretext of land development. The government has no reason to grab land from the people.
Before Native lands did not have values, an acre might cost RM100 only. Even then it was difficult to sell them. Without any form of development, Native lands could never have any value. The main question is how to make the properties to have values. As the government has limited fund for specified purposes, a new way has to be introduced to raise fund to open up the lands for oil palm estates and set up factories to process the fruits during specified time.
The formula is to have joint venture between developers and Native land owners. There are a lot of people, who have become rich because of the success of the economy, are willing to invest in such joint venture projects. Hence, the State government has to introduce a by-law and set up Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) to help Bumiputras to develop their land.
LCDA in a joint venture project to develop NCR land provides the safeguard to ensure that the lands will not be acquired or grabbed in the process. The rights of the Bumiputras in the joint venture will not be jeopardised. The quota for a joint venture to develop NCR land is roughly 60 for developers, 10 for LCDA as the guarantor and 30% for Bumiputra land owners.
However, the success of the development of Native estate hinges on the willingness of land owners to work together among themselves and with developers, who come up with the money for the joint venture project.
Undoubtedly, estate development is the most efficient way to develop the economy of Bumiputras. The State government has been able to prove that Bumiputra land can become as valuable as mixed zone land with development even in rural areas. They will also become valuable if they are used for other forms of modern agriculture. In this regard, Datuk Hassan Sui, a Penan community leader, becomes a good example of how a person can benefit from Native Estate development scheme. He has been able to organise members of his community to develop their land to become estates. Now he owns an estate.
The Penan community as a whole owns an estate near Suai. Datuk Hassan Sui and the Penan Community now become good examples of how Bumiputras can benefit from the development of their land under the Native Estate Development program.
As a consequence, more and more Bumiputra lands are being developed for estates and being converted from mere properties to become assets for the owners. A total of 200,000 hectares of Native lands are being developed under Native Estates Development scheme.
The State Government has identified four areas of Native Customary Right lands, with the total acreage of about 32,000 hectares that can be developed under the Native Estate Development program in and around Marudi. One of them is Ulu Teru with a total acreage of 5,500. Out of the total 1,600 hectares have been planted with oil palm and the rest are in various stages of development.
The second area is Long Ikang with a total acreage of 2,800 hectares out of which 500 hectares have been planted with oil palm. The third area is Sg Bakoi/Sg. Baon/Sg. Lobang area with a total acreage of 8,289 hectares. The State government is looking for investors to develop the land as all the owners have agreed to work together for the purpose.
The fourth area, the biggest of them all, is Lubok Nibong/Sebatang/Dabai/Pasir Putih area with a total acreage of 15,377 hectares. Again the State Government is looking for investors, who are willing to work together with the land owners to develop the area.
If all the areas can be developed as oil palm estates, Marudi will be able to earn an annual revenue of between RM30 to RM40 million once the fruits start to be harvested. If prices of the commodity go up, the revenue will also increase.In this respect, the people in Marudi deserve to be congratulated for having the courage and foresight to agree to develop their lands on joint venture with the private investors. Obviously, they are knowledgeable of the fact that the private sector has to play greater roles as the new engine of growth in the development of the State and country towards the year 2020 and beyond.
Clearly, they have made the right decision to develop their land under the Native Estate Development program. They are not confused by negative propaganda of NGOs to discredit Native estate development program.
Regrettably, some people do not appreciate steps being taken by the government to develop NCR land for the benefits of the owners. They have been accusing the government of grabbing land from Natives on the pretext of development.
The people, who have been shouting that the government has not been helping the rural people, are ignorant of the fact that more than 2/3 of the land being planted with oil palm comprise of Native Estates and less that 1/3 as small holdings
Obviously, the unfriendly NGOs have no substantive program to help the people but only to play with their emotion for their political agenda to grab power. The government, being accused by the opposition of not helping the people, has the track record of service to the people, state and the country. The government has the record of fulfilling all its promises to the people every time after the election. On the other hand members of the opposition, some of whom have lost two or three times in the elections, only know how to criticise and never have the experience of holding positions of responsibility in their political careers.
benuasains
*Photos Source: google.com
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