KOTA KINABALU: July 20, 2026 — The Sabah government and the federal government have been urged to provide a stronger commitment to strengthening the Native Customary Rights Land Measurement Programme (PANTAS) through special allocations and the establishment of a Sabah Land Development Fund under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).
Moyog Assemblyman, Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, said land issues are not merely administrative matters but involve the rights, dignity, economic security and social stability of the people.
“Land is not just a piece of land. It is recognition of family history, ancestral heritage and the fruits of generations of effort,” he said during the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
He said thousands of Sabahans who have occupied, cultivated and inherited native customary rights land, village land and agricultural land for decades still do not have legal titles.
This has made it difficult for them to obtain financing from financial institutions, use their land as economic capital, and they face the risk of ownership disputes and live in uncertainty, he added.
Datuk Donald expressed appreciation to the Sabah government and the Sabah Land and Survey Department for introducing the PANTAS programme, which has successfully expedited land measurement, title verification and grant issuance.
“The success of PANTAS proves that this problem is not impossible to solve. What is needed is political commitment, sufficient funding and long-term planning,” he said.
He urged the federal government to recognise the resolution of land issues in Sabah as part of implementing the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as land is fundamental to the identity and rights of Sabahans.
Among his proposals were for the federal government to provide a special allocation for PANTAS under RMK13’s Rolling Plan, establish a Sabah Land Development Fund under RMK13 to finance land measurement acceleration, and set a special PANTAS action plan with clear annual targets and measurable KPIs.
He also called for priority to be given to long-pending land applications, particularly in rural and interior areas, and for the state government to strengthen the land administration system through full digitalisation, modern measurement technology and improved transparency.
“Solving land issues is among the development investments that provide the greatest returns to the state,” he said.
“When the people have legal grants, they gain legal certainty, are more confident to invest, can obtain financing, land value increases, economic output grows, rural development accelerates and family income rises,” he added.
He stressed that the success of PANTAS requires continuous commitment and cannot depend on limited annual allocations.
“Let us together ensure that every eligible Sabahan ultimately has a legal land grant. Because when land rights are strengthened, the future of Sabahans will also be stronger,” he said.
