Three NCR Land Awarded For Oil Palm Cultivation

CM declared opened the Native Court Judiciary Conference

KOTA KINABALU, April 26 (Bernama) -- Three native customary rights (NCR) grants have been issued involving 7,258ha of land for the benefit of 1,702 people in the Nabawan and Tongod districts, said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

He said with the issuance of the grants, a joint venture agreement to develop an oil palm plantation in Lalampas, Tongod was entered into with the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) for 25 years.

"The people will enjoy the benefits in the form of dividend as well as job and business opportunities," he said when responding to a question from Abdul Mijul Unaini (BN-Banggi) at the State Assembly here Tuesday.

He said that under the terms of the agreement, the beneficiaries or natives involved would get a dividend of 40 per cent while SLDB 60 per cent in a joint venture to cultivate 3,237ha of land with oil palm and 404ha with cash crops.

Musa said the oil palm plantation project would get off the ground in August at the cost of Rm74 million.

Meanwhile, the Land and Survey Department is processing the issuance of 43 NCR grants out of 15,780ha of the state land for 4,161 participants, he said, adding that a total of 24,592ha of state land was earmarked for NCR grants.

-- BERNAMA