KUCHING, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Sarawak will receive another allocation of RM30
million from the federal government next year to enable survey works on native
customary rights (NCR) land to be carried out, Natural Resources and Environment
Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah said today.
He said the survey work, including an allocation RM30 million this year and
RM20 million in 2010, were the outcome of the issues that were dealt by the
Cabinet Committee on Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras chaired by Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
"In Sarawak, we still have issues of poverty, infrastructure and education
and therefore the prime minister decided to look at these various issues with
the setting up of the committee in 2010," Uggah, who is also the deputy chairman
of the Technical Committee for Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras, told reporters
after officiating at a luncheon talk organised by the Dayak Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (DCCI) here.
Under the first part of the laboratory, he said, the federal government also
built a native court in Sarawak and Sabah, costing RM10 million each, which was
completed this year to handle cases pertaining to marriages solemnised under
native laws and land disputes involving native customary rights land.
Other projects, including the construction of a RM5 million rural service
centre in Belaga and upgrading of logging roads, which were currently being used
or abandoned, at a cost of RM1 million to service the local people in Miri and
Bintulu, he said.
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UGGAH-SURVEY 2 (LAST) KUCHING
Apart from the National Key Result Area (NKRA) funds, he said, both states
were also given an allocation of RM100 million each for development projects
under the laboratory as part of the government''s policy of inclusiveness.
On floods, he was happy to note that Malaysia had a well organised task
force to manage flood occurrences, such as in Trengganu, Pahang and Kelantan.
He also credited Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is state
Disaster Relief Committee Chairman, and relevant agencies for efficiently
managing the recent flood in Pantu, Sri Aman division, when 108 flood victims
from 28 families were evacuated to the flood relief centre without any loss of
life.
At the moment, flood-prone areas in the country would always be hit every
year but hopefully there would not be major ones like the recent Bangkok flood ,
he said.
He said the total cost of damage caused by the floods could only be
ascertained until year end.
-- BERNAMA
CJ AO
