LAHAD DATU: The federal government will discuss with the Sabah government and Felda to enable native customary rights (NCR) land in Tambisan to be returned to the rightful owners.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has informed him about the residents' appeal for the return of their NCR land.
"There are about 400 acres (161.87 hectares) of NCR land in Tambisan. Some of it is Felda's. I will ask Felda to discuss this immediately with the state government.
"I agree that the land should be returned (to the rightful owners) after proper discussions and land survey be done by the state government and Felda," he said when launching the 'Segalanya Felda' Carnival in Felda Sahabat, here today.
Anwar said the governments come and go, but the residents in Tambisan have been waiting for decades for the NCR land to be returned to them.
As such, he assured the people that the government would get it done soon.
"Like I said in Kota Konabalu, I don't want problems to take too long to be solved. If I announced it today, the work should start next week, and within a month or two, the NCR land issue in Tambisan should be solved," he said.
In another development, the prime minister approved an allocation for the establishment of a dialysis centre in Felda Sahabat to meet the demand of the residents.
He said the overall needs of Sabahans, including issues related to electricity and water supply, have been discussed with the state government.
"Addressing these issues requires substantial funding from the federal government, so do not listen to those with dissenting viewpoints. To ensure the welfare of Sabah's people, good cooperation between the state and federal governments is essential," he added.
Anwar also paid tribute to Felda's early settlers, saying that the pioneers' efforts have benefited the generation today.
He praised the pioneers for their resilience in clearing vast jungles to establish Felda settlements, saying that their efforts were no small feat.
"We must also remember that the initial plans were very different from what we see today. There were no roads, no schools, nothing of that sort. They (settlers) had to clear the thick jungles themselves.
"These are the sacrifices of our forefathers and mothers, the original settlers. We owe them our gratitude and respect," he said.
Anwar said from the settlers' early sacrifices, Felda has progressed, with its land producing high-quality products recognised globally.
He also paid tribute to former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, whose vision for Felda helped lift many from poverty.
"Back then, the poor had no land or jobs. They were given land and employment, but the project had to start with loans from the bank," he added.