SARIKEI: Residents of Sungai Spitoh, Melurun and those living along KJD road in Julau District want their native customary rights (NCR) land to be surveyed and issued titles before they strike a joint-venture deal with any interested party.

This condition was unanimously voiced out by the longhouse chiefs (Tuai Rumah) from the three areas during a dialogue session organised by Julau Community Leaders Association (PKKJ) at the district community hall on Tuesday.

The dialogue session, chaired by Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat, was intended to get feedback from the longhouse residents to a proposal to develop their NCR land for oil palm.

The project would be on a joint-venture with Sime-Darby and Pelita, a government agency, as the management agent.

The three areas have a total of 91 longhouses.

All the longhouse chiefs felt that surveying their land was the first huddle to be cleared before they could proceed with the negotiation.

Only after their land had been surveyed would they know the exact size of their own land, they explained, adding the matter was the main factor for working out a deal.

“When we know the exact size of our land we know what to expect from the deal.

“If payment of rental for our land is to be based on acreage, it can only be worked out when the size of our land is officially determined in black and white.

“Even if rentals are based on number of trees, we still need to know our boundary,” they said.

The assemblyman told the land owners that the matter would be referred to the authorities concerned for further and appropriate action.

He advised the land owners to discuss thoroughly among themselves so that they will be well prepared when they negotiate with the developer on July 9.