Ewon Committed to Expanding PANTAS Land Survey Programme to More Villages in Kadamaian

KOTA BELUD: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the Program Penyukatan Tanah Adat Negeri Sabah (PANTAS) — Sabah Native Customary Land Survey Programme — continues to expand to include more villages in the Kadamaian area.

Ewon, who is also the State Assemblyman for Kadamaian, said the expansion is crucial to speeding up the land measurement process and the issuance of Native Title land grants to local communities.

“Since becoming the Kadamaian assemblyman in 2018, I have brought the PANTAS programme to Mukim Kiau (three villages), followed by Kg Tambatuon in Mukim Melangkap (five villages) and Mukim Sayap (two villages), which are currently undergoing active land surveying.

“This year, the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department (JTU) has also conducted PANTAS briefing sessions in Mukim Nahaba (three villages), Mukim Tengkurus (four villages), and today in Mukim Pinolobuh (five villages).

“I will continue to communicate and work closely with the Sabah Government, particularly the JTU and the Sabah Land Revenue Office, to ensure more villages benefit from the PANTAS programme, especially in the areas I represent — Kadamaian and Penampang,” he said.

He said this during his speech at the PANTAS land survey briefing for Mukim Pinolobuh held here today.

The PANTAS Programme was introduced in 2011 through federal government funding to accelerate the surveying and issuance of Native Title lands in Sabah.

Ewon added that under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), the Federal Government will continue implementing this special development programme for the benefit of Sabah’s native communities.