HOPE FOR SEKUAU FOLKS AS DPM FADILLAH PLEDGES RESOLUTION TO 50-YEAR LAND LIMBO

SIBU, May 17 (Bernama) -- A decades-long land ownership issue that has hindered residents of the Sekuau Resettlement Scheme from developing their lots may soon see resolution, following a pledge by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof to bring the matter to formal discussions between the Federal and the Sarawak governments.

Currently, the plots allocated to families who were relocated to the settlement some 50 years ago remain unmeasured and undeveloped due to technical issues.

“We’re dealing with certain technicalities involving the land status, as parts of the original Sekuau Scheme were funded by the Federal Government when it was first established,” he said during his speech at the Sekuau Resettlement Scheme’s Golden Jubilee celebration in Selangau today.

Fadillah, who is also the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Technical Committee chairman, said discussions between both governments have reached an agreement in principle: that any unused federal land should be handed back to the State Government.

The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister gave his assurance that he would personally review the land status in Sekuau and raise the matter with both the Federal and State Governments so that a solution can be expedited.

Once the matter is resolved, Fadillah said, the State Government will be able to officially distribute the land to residents as was once promised, while parts of the area can also be set aside for the development of essential public infrastructure such as a police station, clinic and school.

The Sekuau Resettlement Scheme was established on March 26, 1972, under the Rajang Area Security Command (RASCOM) initiative, part of a government effort to resettle communities affected by communist insurgencies during that period.

Also present at the event were his wife Datin Seri Ruziah Mohd Tahir, Selangau MP Edwin Banta and Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang.

-- BERNAMA