The Sabah state government, through the Land and Survey Department handed over 344 native land grants to residents of 34 villages here today.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the titles covered a land size of 722.5 hectares, which among others included 51 titles in Kampung Usaha Jaya, Kampung Sungai Teneggang (49), Kampung Sinar Jaya (30), and Kampung Sukau (26).
“Of the 344 titles, 141 were for the Sabah State Customary Land Service Programme (PANTAS) and 203 were through regular land applications,” he said after presenting the grants.
Hajiji said about 8,000 grants have already been issued and either he or a government representative will personally hand it to the villagers during district visits.
The Indigineous Residential Reserve Gazetted Land grant for Kampung Litang, Sukau covering 82.3 hectares was also handed over to Kinabatangan district officer Abdul Manap Abd Ruhim.
Meanwhile, speaking at the Sukau and Lamag division Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) party gathering here today, Hajiji called out those who belittled the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan by using it to ridicule the state government.
The GRS president said, those involved were mostly from the opposition, who by doing so were disrespecting the ‘Sabah Maju Jaya’ motto on the state’s emblem.
He said, the GRS government’s initiative to use SMJ in the development plan was aimed at dignifying and strengthening the state motto, which has been in use since independence.
“These people are envious of us, they are aimless, that is why they always have negative thoughts.
“This is the opposition’s behaviour today. It is ill intentioned and too negative. SMJ is a motto we must uphold and empower to develop Sabah,” he said.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency