More than 50 years on, over 6,000 Ngemah residents still await land titles to RASCOM resettlement sites

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By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Oct 15: More than 6,000 residents living in three Rajang Area Security Command (RASCOM) resettlement schemes in Ngemah are still waiting for land titles to their longhouse sites, more than 50 years after the settlements were established.

Ngemah assemblyman Anyi Jana said the land occupied by more than 60 longhouses in Nanga Jagau, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Tada remained classified as State land.

“The residents of these three schemes, comprising more than 60 longhouses and over 6,000 people, hope that the Sarawak government can issue land titles for their longhouse sites,” he said when debating on the Supply Bill (2027) 2026, or Sarawak Budget 2027, at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.

Anyi said the three resettlement schemes were established in 1972 to relocate residents to new settlements to contain communist threats and safeguard their security.

“However, after more than 50 years since the establishment of the RASCOM resettlement schemes, several matters require urgent resolution and attention from the Sarawak government,” he said.

On healthcare, Anyi called for Nanga Ngungun Health Clinic to be upgraded, with medical officers and ambulance services provided to serve residents in the resettlement scheme and surrounding areas.

He said the clinic’s pilot project had been completed, but the Public Works Department (JKR) was still preparing documents for its handover to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH).

On sports facilities, Anyi proposed the construction of a mini stadium in Nanga Ngungun, noting that Ngemah currently had no such facility.

“At present, all programmes that require a suitable venue have to be held at the Kanowit Sports Complex, which is located in Machan constituency,” he said, adding that a mini stadium was particularly necessary given that Ngemah had two secondary schools and 18 primary schools.

He also called for construction of the Nanga Ngungun multipurpose hall, which was announced by the Premier during a working visit in July 2021, to begin as soon as possible.

In addition, Anyi urged the Sarawak government to open new settlement areas to ease overcrowding as the population entered its third generation, and to develop a better-planned and safer road network to meet present-day development needs.

In a related development, the federal government in July agreed to relinquish its rights over the former RASCOM site in Sibu to the Sarawak government.

The land transfer covers Nanga Tada, Nanga Jagau, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Sekuau, spanning 3,655.6 hectares. The decision was approved by the Federal Cabinet on July 29. — DayakDaily

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