KUCHING: A Native Customary Rights (NCR) land claimant who believed he had been short-changed by the Sarawak Government approached Padungan State Assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen for assistance.
Chong said John owns an NCR land plot in Kampung Tanjong Poting, Singai. Part of his land, which was adjacent to the roadside, was acquired by the government for a road expansion project, and compensation was duly paid. There was no issue with the acquisition or the compensation at the time.
“However, John was shocked when the Land and Survey Department later published a new survey map showing his land no longer at the roadside. Not only had the location of his land changed, but its size and shape had also been altered significantly,” said Chong.
He explained that under the new map, John’s land appeared as a second-lot plot with no road access, even though it was originally a first-lot by the roadside, evident from the previous acquisition and compensation.
“This raises serious concerns. The Land and Survey Department has clear records of John’s land being by the roadside, which justified the compensation. Yet, they could not explain how the land ended up being moved to a second-lot position with no access,” Chong said.
He added that John, a former second-class land surveyor, felt the discrepancy was a grave error that affected his rights as a landowner. Land value for roadside plots is typically double that of second-lot land with no access, making the change not only confusing but financially damaging.
“Though John is not my constituent, I will assist him in seeking clarification from the Land and Survey Department. If necessary, I will push for a re-survey to ensure justice is done,” Chong stated.