BAU: The documentation work on Native Customary Rights (NCR) land carried out by the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) is officially recognised and legitimate, firmly countering claims made by certain parties that the DBNA Land Documentation Committee lacks proper authority.

Sarawak Deputy Minister for Transport (River and Sea), Dato Henry Harry Jinep, clarified that DBNA had begun planning its land surveying initiatives as early as 2007.

He added that in 2009, documentation efforts for NCR land belonging to the Bidayuh community in Bau were initiated to help resolve boundary disputes between families or individual landowners.

“Since this documentation effort began, about 90 per cent of NCR land in the Singai area has already been surveyed, with most of it having been issued with official land titles.

“If DBNA’s land documentation work wasn’t valid, how could land titles have been issued for Kampung Sibuluh, Kampung Grogo and the Jagoi area?

“So why is it only now, in 2025, that people are questioning the legitimacy of the DBNA Land Documentation Committee?” he asked during the DBNA Bau Branch dinner at the Bau Civic Centre on Saturday.

This response comes after a recent TikTok video alleging that the DBNA’s NCR land documentation work was not legally recognised.

Dato Henry, who is also the Tasik Biru Assemblyman, went on to say that DBNA’s land documentation system has earned the trust of the local Chinese community in the Bau area, who are now also adopting it.

At the same event, he shared that DBNA currently owns two premises in Tasik Biru Resort City with a combined equity value of RM2 million.

He also announced that a Bidayuh Cultural Centre, valued at RM9 million, is scheduled for completion by October and will be officiated early next year.

Dato Henry also revealed plans to organise Bau’s largest ever unity parade in May next year.

During the event, he presented a Minor Rural Project (MRP) grant cheque to the DBNA Bau Branch. -UKASnews