TENOM: Several thousand hectares of now-defunct Sabah Forest Industry (SFI) area in this district will be gazetted as village land.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the government had identified the lands so that existing residents can continue to stay there.
At the same time, he also said that he would direct the Department of Lands and Surveys (JTU) to implement the Native Customary Land Services Program of Sabah (Pantas) in this district.
He said it was to resolve long occupied and cultivated land, ensuring that the land can be surveyed, and grants issued to the rightful owners.
Hajiji was responding to several motions put forward by the Kemabong Gagasan Rakyat Division Chief Datuk Rubin Balang regarding the interests of the people in the area during the party's annual general meeting here.
Established decades ago, SFI ceased operations in 2016 and was officially wound up in November 2021, with the Sabah government cancelling its timber licence in September 2021.
It was reported that hundreds of families continue to reside in the workers' quarters without electricity or water supply, relying on solar power and rainwater for their daily needs.
"I've stated that we will ensure several thousand acres of land within SFI are exercised for the purpose of establishing village settlements for our people in Tenom.
"Likewise, for land that has not yet been surveyed, I will request the JTU director to use the Pantas programme to measure the residents' land so that long-cultivated land can be granted title," according to a statement issued after the event at Dewan Sri Ontoros, Kemabong here.