Sarawak moves to resolve Batang Ai land dispute

(Bernama) KUCHING: Sarawak is conducting a census among people in the Batang Ai resettlement area to resolve the long-standing issue of land titles after they were displaced by the construction of the Batang Ai hydro-electric dam in 1982.

Sarawak Land Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Masing said the state Land and Survey Department had been tasked with conducting the census to identify the new and extended families that had grown in the last 25 years.

"The census is in the first phase. Once it is completed, we will know how best to assist these families. The state government can look for the land and also provide various amenities for them.

"The government will not only cater for those displaced 25 years ago but also the extended and new families living in the resettlement area," he said after a meeting with senior Dayak Barisan Nasional component party leaders here on Wednesday.

Dr Masing said the state Land and Survey Department had sent letters to all longhouse chiefs earlier this month requesting them to update the particulars of the people in the longhouses.

On Monday, Parti Keadilan Rakyat director of operations for the Batang Ai by-election, Nicholas Bawin, called on the state government to immediately issue land titles to 400 households from 20 longhouses who were resettled as a result of the construction of the dam.

To ensure a clean by-election, Dr Masing, who is also BN director of operations for the by-election, said the BN would post two to three observers in every longhouse in Batang Ai.

"The observers are to ensure there is no money politics at political rallies. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to have a clean by-election. So does BN."

The BN has named engineer Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, 49, as its candidate for the by-election on April 7, while PKR will field former Lubok Antu member of parliament, Jawah Gerang, 55.