Author/Authors :
Azima, AM Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Zaimah, R Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Saad, Suhana Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Sum, Sarmila MD Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Hussain, Mohd Yusoff Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Shafiq, AK Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Lyndon, Novel Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Selvadurai, Sivapalan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Mat Jali, Mohd Fuad Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia , Jaafar, Mokhtar Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Pusat Pengajian Sosial Pembangunan dan Persekitaran, Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Malaysia
Abstract :
Customs may influence the land ownership rights of indigeneous communities in Sarawak. Among the Bidayuh tribe, information on land ownership which have been inherited from their ancestors become the principal source of reference in defending their status rights to the land which has become an issue when their lands are affected by development projects. This study examined the challenges faced by the Bidayuh in defending their rights and ownership over customary lands involved with development projects, in particular, the owners efforts in defending their rights over the lands. Primary data were obtained through in-depth discussions with focus groups (FGD) comprising customary land owners in the study area. The findings showed that the challenges of defending the customary lands are influenced by several factors such as delays in the process of delimitation, intrusion to the customary land, land compensation, community involvement in development schemes, disagreement among land owners and internal conflicts as well as competition for land. This situation eventually led to many land owners seeking individual ownership of the customary lands. Thus it is imperative that the relevant authorities improve their practices and procedures of the Bidayuh customary land alineation with the view of maintaining their customary ownership. In addition, the national land development policies should give emphasis on the social sustainability of land ownership by taking into account socio-culture aspects of the community.
Keywords :
Bidayuh community , Land Code of Sarawak , land ownership , NCR land , socioculture , state government
