BUDGET 2019 | Sarawak PKR chairperson Baru Bian has clarified that no specific allocation was provided in the 2019 Budget on land matters, which are not under the Federal government’s purview.

Baru, who is also Works Minister, said any allocation, if given, is a bonus given that the much-publicised survey of Native Customary Rights land in Sarawak is carried out under Section 6 of the Sarawak Land Code.

"I am amused at the fact that some people have been so quick to jump on this issue and point fingers at the federal government for the absence of a specific allocation in the budget to conduct perimeter surveys for NCR land.

"By their criticism, they are implying that the Pakatan Harapan government is not concerned about the NCR of the people and not treating it as an important issue," he said in a statement here today.

He said the issue of the surveying of NCR land was not as important to the people as the recognition of their native customary rights to their land.

"This is because NCR exists whether it is surveyed or not – its existence does not arise from a survey. I maintain my stand that the state government has not fully recognised the NCR of the natives of Sarawak, notwithstanding the Land Code (Amendment) Act 2018 that was passed in July this year," he said.

In the 2019 Budget, the federal government allocated RM 4.34 billion for Sarawak as development funds, an increase of RM10 million from the previous year.

- Bernama