LAWS OF SARAWAK LAND CODE

CHAPTER 81
(1958 EDrTrOlO
lncorporatingall amendments and modifi cations ' upto L 1.1999

Conpiled in the

STA'IE ATTORNEY.GENERAL'S CIIAMBERS, KUCHINC

DICETAK OLEH PERCETAI(AN N,4SIONAL MALAYSIABERHAD, KUCHNC, SARAWA( 1999

2"1
Native customary rights

Part II

5.---(1)'' As ftom the lst dayofJanuary, 1958, native customary rights may be createdin accordance with the native customarylaw of the cornmurity or conmunities concemedby any of the methods specilied in subsection (2), ifa permitis obtained urde! section10, upon Intgrio! Ara Land. Saveas aforesaid, but without Fejudice to the provisions hereinaftercontainedirt respectof Native Communal Reserves andrights ofway, no recognitionshall be givento anymtive customary rightsoverany landin Sarawak created afterthe lst dayof January, 1958,and if the land is Statelandany person in occupation thereofshall be deemed to be in unlawfuloccupation of State landand section 209shallapplythereto. The methods by which native customaryrights may be At acquiredare(a) the felling of virgin jungle and the occupation of the land ahereby cleared; (b) the plantingof land with fruit trees; (c) the occupation or cultivation ofland; (d) (, the useof landfor a burial groundor shrine; any other la\{ul method: (i) until a docunentof title has beenissuedin respectthereof, such land shall coriti[ue to be Stateland and any native lawfully in occupation thereof shall be deemed to hoid by liceoce from the Government andshall not b .equired to pay any rent in respcctthereof unless anduntil a document ofiitle is issued to him; aid (ii) the questionwhethq any such dght has beed acquired or hasbeenlost or extidguished shall,sd[e''inso far as this Code makescontraryprovision, be determiried by the law in force immediately prior to the lst day of January, 1958. (e) the useofland ofany class foirights ofway; or Provided that-

Part U

28

(3) (a) any narive customaryrights may be extinguishedby dircctioo issuedby the Minisier which shall be(i) publishedin the Gdzettearld one rpwspaper circulating in Sara'.la! and (ii) xhibited at the trotice board of the District Oftice for the alea whele the land, over which such rishls aJe to be extinguished is situate, and on the date specifiedin the direction,the native customaryrightJ shail be xtinguisheda.rd the land held under suchrights shall revert to the Goverunent: Providedthat where suchrights are extinguished in pursuance of this lection compedsationshall be paid to ary person who can establishhis claims to suohrights in accordance with paragraphs (r) and (c); or other land over which suchrights may be exercised may be made available to him with or without the paymert of additional compensatioE whethgrfor disturbance, or for the costj of rqmoval,or otherwise. (b) Any pe6on who desires to rnake any claim for compensation mtst submit his claim with evidencein suppofi thereof to the Superintendent, in a folm to be prscribedby him, within such period as may be stipulatedin the direction issuedby the Minister under paragraph(a), provided that the period so stipulatedshall not be less than sixty days from the date of publication or exhibition thereof. (c) No claim for compensation for extinguishmentof native customaryrights shall be entedainedby the Superintendent ulrless suchclaim is submittedwithin the periodstipulatedin paragraph (D). [Sub.Cap.A42]. (4) (d) Any personlvho is dissatisfiedwith any decisionmade by the Superintendent (3) on the groundthatundersubsection . (i) bis claim to native customaryrights has beenrejecred or not lecognised by theSupedntendent;

29

Part II

(ii) the allocationof land over which such rights are to be is inadequate or inequitable;or exercised, (iii) the amount or apportionment of compensationis inadequate, uofair or uueasonable, may within twenty-olledaysfrom the dateof receiptof the decisionof the Superintendent, by notice in rwiting addressed to the require the matter to be referrgd to arbitratiof| in Superintendent, rtith section2 12. a.cordance (b) Upon receipt of the notice of arbitration, the shall dircct that any compensationpayablo to the Superintendent personwho desiresto havehis claim or matterrefered to arbitration, to be depositedin the High Court, pending the outcome of such arbitation prcceedirs. [Sub.Cap.442]. (3) shall apply whetherthe land over whiohthe Subsection $l customaryrights are exercisedis requiredfor a public purposeor the extinction of such dghts is expdientfor the purposeof facilitating io which the Forests alienatioo,but shall have no applicationto cases Ordinance [Cap 126 (1958 Ed.)], tLe National Pa*s anq Nature ReservesOrdinancc, 1998 lCap 271 ot any other wrinen law, includiag Part V, makes other plovision for the extinguishmont thereof. [Iis. Ord. No.2 /74]. The Majlis ves,'uarat KerajaanNegeri may makemles for 1S payabie for extinguishment of compensation of native the Fssessrnent dghts underthis sectionard section15. customary [Am Cap.459]. lvh"n"u", -y disputeshall adsc as to whetherany native @ cusiornaryrights exists or subsistsover any State land, it shall be presumed until fie corhary is proved,that such Stateland is free of iurd not encumbered by any suchrights. [Ins- Cap.442; An. Cap.A59J.

;i::+

?ertrl
NatiYeCommural RereweE

3a

6.{1) The MiDister msy by order signified in be G@ette declareany areaof Stateltnd to bc I NEtiv CoE.munlt Rcsewc fot the useof any commJtrnity havinga ,atjye systgm of porsona.l law and may, bJ suchordei or by sublequcntorder,<tecl8lc that thc customsry law of such coElmunity in relatioq to tlre arquisitio4 kansfr a;l t "ans-mission ol rights and pdvileges i! or over land, and itr any building or other structurc ereotedthcreiD, shalt apply with sgci modificationsasmay be specifiedor providedfor in any zuchoder.
.:

Savein so far .s fte concary may be specifed or provided ^ .(2) tor in any sucb orderor by this section,rights in stry land declar.d to be a Native Coemunal Reserve under subsectiotr0) shall be regulatedby the customary law ofthe communityfor whoscuseit was declarcdto be reserved.

:i

(3) Notwithstandingsubsectior (2), but without ptEjudic, to subsections(4) to (7) inclusive, any such land shall cotrtinue10 be Statelatrd, andthe-nativecottrmunityfol whoseuseit r|lasrcservedor any memberthereofacquiringanyrigbts therinsba[ hold lhe Eame as a licenseefiom the Govemment, and if, by virtue of the Fovisions of this section (ircludiog the provisions of any ordfl made under subsectioir (l)), any individual nativ customary rights become established, the issuof any docrulent of title in respectthercof shall be in the absolutediscretionofthe Director;

Provided that the Minister may of his own motion or upon petition review andconfirm or amendanyexercise ofsuch discretion.

[Mod. SwkL.N.6A6a].

3l

Part II

(4) If the Ministq is satisfied that any part ol any area in any declarationrurder subsection (l) is no longer .o--ir.a may andthat this subsction ."quit"a ^ u N"ti"" CommunalReserve order he may or oppression, injustice *ifiout causing be'applied -by part to form .ignin"a in theGazetted(flarc th:d suchpart shall cease and as ftom such date' if any' as of'*"tl N"tiu" Corn-unal Reserve, io comeinto efiect' or' if no no- *t i"tt .u"n a""taration is e{prssd then as Aom the date of publicatior in the dut" i" expressed, of the "-J 7^"*r"'of u"V,,t"h orde,,suchpart shallbe at the disposition by any right' privilege. or as free and unencumbered c"""*a*t to be a Native Jqriry-it t"tp"", ,tt*"of asif it hasneverbeel declared Reserve Cornmunal (5) The Minister may, if ho considers that the settlement or arly part of any orovisionsin Part v slould be appliedto the whole n"sewe, by ordersignified b the Gazetteso direct' ilutJ" io-rn*uf proceed accoldingly' andthe Director shallin suchcase This section shall apply also to native land -r9serv91 9l of thi fotmer l:arld Otditatce lCap' 27 urrd"r """tion underrule l9 of "on"tXt"d constituted communalAreas *a latr"e iiil!'raLf to all intentsand purposes Rulesin like malrner *r" l*a S'entem"nt savethat if i"a U."" ."n$iruledby orderundcrthis seclion' ".-ii,ft"" or thatrule' asthe casemay ii" ioiii.aion it.u.l underthatsectron wasconstituted for which cornmunityany reserve i". iu, not "p""lft"a to have beenreservedfor the commumty be deemed ,frJ t"*" "t'itt disputeor question it i"t iutin t*t -oa" useof the sameor if any issued th" .""t"t*itv for which the Minister may bv order ;;;,;;; declareit is to be deemedto have i"i"i J*"i"t tli tubsequently beeoreserved. (6) fMod. Swk L.N. 68/64].

Part Il
(7)

32
In any casein which this sectionapplies, the questionasto -t

ffilTjol n,:"*'a*ril

occupationr-y;;;*;;,1*;i;"1"J"rT.::f .:"#:il,t: occupation

ofs,ur" t*a'*i ;il;;

t"* of *"f, ,o? Oy such orders, if any, as may have beenmade "oln^*ity uoOe, ttri. ,"ctioo, aaj, saye to ths extent that aoy such persc

any dghts orprivileges within ,uJ;;; i,"ljYT9:-"I "Il*ise sna|| be determiDed by lhe customarv

*T"1 whethe! or not sucrperson is a member of the qalrve coftnunify for whose use the reserveis o. is a".q,"a io ie yl:1"1

GovemmentReserves 7,-{l) In any casewherean ar

****m**'"#x:n;;l"*;""r"m r#'*:"#T;
purpose #;:ffi :1:ff nltJffihe?ubric ro''ili;;'i*;
theDirectormayby notification in theGazen" a""f"r" ,u"f, ar"ui-il

t'"u p"u'iii 3il|j::.'tr* ;H:::. ;:'o:,T:"*'' r.'*v'p""ir"J

notification in the Gazerle declaretbat

j H;#id.Ts##rrflrlilH"ffirj
the change of.d purpose previously rcrified o. tl" O""farurion'oiti"
tie arears no longerrequiredas

5:H:,';.ffi ilTfl ::.*'i]q:J#.,fiilTx#.1,:1.:::fr

caseof other Stateland.

ffi *"hnuilfli.lritrl"tiri,;,' F:ffi;!ff

PartII Illegal for lotr-nativ. to acquire rights or privilegesovr land of certain classes 8. Saveasprovided in section 9(a) a persotr who is not a native of Sarawakmay not acquireany rights or privileges whateve(over any Native Area Land,NaliveCustomaiy Lalldor InteriorAreaLandi (b) any agreement, purporting to tnnsfer or confer any suchrights ot privileges or which would resultin suchperson enjoyingany such right or privilege,shall be deemed to ha./e been enteredinto for an illegal consideration;and, in particular but without prejudiceto paragraph(/), any consideration *,hich shallhavebeenpaid or fumished shallnot be recovetable in any court nor shall any reliei be affordedto any personclaiming thar anyconsideration promised hasnot been paidor fumished; (c) any person purporting to eoter into an agreementto which paragraph (D) applies shall be guilty of an offence: Penalty, a fine ofone thousand ringgiiand,in thecase of .l native offender,an additional fine of a som equivalentto the value of any consideration which the court is satisfiedhas beenreceived by that native ofender or hasbeenreceivedby anotherpersonon his behalfor by his direction; (/) in a,ry oase in which a pe$on is convictedof aa offence under pa$graph (b), dre court may, if there is reasonto believe that such peNon did not appreciate he was contravening pangraph(a) andhad no reasonto believehe,wasenteringinto a prohibited transactioit,impose no fine and rnay also, if; it has imposed an additional fine on a lative offender and this paragraph applies to the norl-nativeoffender, order the payment 10 suchnon-nativeoffenderout of suchfine of suchsum by rvay of cornpensation to the non-oati\.eoffeoderas it may dgemfit in all the ciroumstatrces; (e) subjectasaforesaid andto any remedyfor the recovery of any fine imposed,the rights and privileges of ary native shall not be adverselyaflectedby any agreement to which paragiaph (6) applies;

Part U

34

(c) (l) upon aay conviction ofan offenct underparagraph the coud shall have power to ordor the eviction of any person, being a nos-native or a pelson claiming under a non-nativc in possession or occupationof any land ia relation to \r&ich thc ofence was committed, ud may for such purposeby warrant to any police officr ordor him to remove any such addresscd personasaforcsaid; (g) a complaintofan ofence undcr paragnph (c) nay b or by aoy person made by a Dishict Officr o! a Superintendcnt geoerally or specially authorizedin rhat behaf by the Public but may not be madeby any othcrperson;and Prosecuto!, (l) notwithstandinganything in any othcr wdttcn law, a without any cou of a Magistrateof the First Classr may oxercis limitation thejudsdiction confered on the aout by tltis section.

i {

Nov r& also seotiots 3 and I I I otthe &botdirnte CourtsAct 1948(Act 92r.

Acquisition of lard by trotr-trstiva 9.{1) Section 8 ehall not be deemcd to prohibit the ac4uisition by any nol-native of any land to which the Fovisiots of that sectionappll or of atly rights or interestitr o! over suchlan+(a) under or by vfutue of any la\Y for the time being regulatingFospctilg for minemls,iduding mineml oils, or the taking of forcst produci (D) wheneversuch non-nativehas becomeidentified with and subjectto any nativesystemofpersoDallaw; (c) whenever such non-native has been issued with any pemit rclating to Native Area Land or Nalive Customary1,4n4 issuedunder any rules madeunder section8A oflhe former Lald (Ctassification) Ordinance,1948 [Od No. 19t194$, or isstte.d under rules in that behalf under section213, to the extent of the dghts confeEedby suchpelmit:

35

PartII

to be a nauve' (d) wheresuchnon-nativehasbeeodeemed in the Negeri'by notification uu *,J't.luiti, t't".r"r*at Kerajaan Area r.rp".i or unv catigory of dealing over Native A;;;,;:l; in the notificationl Land asstipulated [Sub CaP.A50]' with any (e) whenevrsuch norFoativehas been issued removeeadh' gravel' clay' lic.nc-Junde. this Codeto extract.and stone,coral, shell,guano,sandor llme' fAdded Qrd. l8/71]' shallbe deemed a person of this section' For the purposes Q\ systemor native to anv wirh and-suhiect to liil u""o." identihed any written law provideshe oersonallaw upon any eventupon wntcn anv-

fi;i;;"-;" ffi."""-t*tat

bv or if he is accepted ia"i ln"a *a subject of tothesystem witi andsubject identified * oeing

peisonallaw of suchcommunitY

oflsrd Occupriionof differentclasse! (2Xe) -to:::111::,:: 10.-{l) Without prejirdiceto sectio! 5 mayoccupylr.exerclse person to tti p.ou#ont oi*y wrinenlaw' no Zone Land or Native Area d"lf"g"' ou"' -y Mixed ir tlrc of titleand' """'ilio il;; ;;ia -t 'ukl"ti"gdocument ill'd"il ".

"f"iir"'a"Jt" thereto.

rt *alienated,anyocrupierthereofshallbe deemed

;;i;il;;tuil;oation

applv 209shall section lani and oi state

any mayoccupy or non-native a native whether (2) No person Land saveunderand in Land or any Reserved N"riil'c*,"r,l"w bv vittue of this or thereto applicable ;il;;;iilonditions thereofshallbe in occupation i" o,fro *rin* fu* andanyperson 209 of statc land and section u" i" u;mtl occupation lji-"j-l thereto shallaPPIY

t-

Part II

36

landor at&mpts to create customarv rrgnBuponanysuchlandshallbegujltyofan ofTence: penalty, ia the caseof a first offence,a fine of orie thousald ringgit and, i, il";;; of a secondor subsequent offence,imprison-ent-fi. two'r"*r;; fine of five thousand dnggit.

any Interior Arca uana o,r.rrs o,uriernjltJ l]i3". ll1:"9:"1 ""*pies re vugth upon any Jungle such

Wirhorlr prejudice ro ary law for the rimebeingreguJating tj|e prospecting for minerajs and mineraloils or *le tating oi forest produce, any narive who, withoul a prior permit in writi-ng Fom a

a pemit in writing ftom a Superintendenr shali not, not\'r'ithstandi[gany law or custom to the *y right or privilege "onOu.y, "onf". on suchnaliveor native commuruty and,in anvsuch case.such narive or nadve communitysf,ufru" i"".J to-'U" i" unlawtul occuparion ofState land andsectio" ZOS ,ldl ;;ly ;"r"t".

(4). rhe occupation *":X:{, "rr*"n,, community without

::tX#:"

permitshallnot be givenif he considers j.Ji eitherrrr"*i prejudice Lhe indjvidual or communal righrsof o,"l""ra th;;;;;;; mereDy_preJudrce ",b.^ the interests of Sarawak or its inhabirants in thealea wnerefte tarrd applied for is situate.

6) rheconsent ofa Superintendenr ,", ^"t#J{" JoT,

Aa2J. [Am Cap. (9) Any person aggrievedby any decision of the ^ rupeflnrendent may within twenty_one daysappealagainst sucb to the.?ir:ctor,whomaymakesuctr oraer in resfgctttrereo? l::,i:ion as hemayconsider iust. [Am.Cap.A42J. (7). Anyperson aggrieved by anyorderof the Direclor under , m1yappeal, by way peririon of to lhe Minister, within :J:o,s:c]ron 16) lnury.qays.ther:tner or withinsuch longer period astheMinister may, ln partrcular
any case. Dermil [Mod. Swk.L.N. 68/64;Am. Cap.A42t.

37

Part II

Director may clsssifylatrd rnd resolvedoubts as to classification ofsny particuhr sra of hnd 1f.-{1) The Director may divide Sarawakinto Land Districts and may, for tho pupose of giving effect to this o. any other wri6en law, by notification in tJ:re Gazettedeclareany areaof land to be a specialdevelopment arcaor to be town, sububan or landcomprisedin a bazaar or to be landof suchclassor descriplion asmaybe provided for undersuchwdtten law or asmay be prescribcd by rules underthis Code. [An. Cap.A17J. (2) The Director may, if he is satisfiedthat alty parcel of land is Mixed Zone Land or Native Area Land within the meanins of section 2 asreadwith this PaAandtharit is expcdienr thatthis section shall apply thercto, by notification il the Gazettedeclarethat such parcelis Mixed Zone Land or Native Area Land,asthe casemay be. (3) Suoh declarationshall, unless revoked or varied by the (4) o. unlessthe classificationofthe said land Court rmdersubsection is subsequently alteredby virtue of anlthing in this parf, be sufficied autholity for the Registrar, any prcprietorthereofandanyother person to registerand deal with such land as Mixed Zo[e Larrd or Native Area Land,asthe casemay be. (4) Any personaggrievedby any declalatiotrtmdersubsection (2) may by notice in writing requirethe Director to statea casefbr the opinioD of the High Cout, and the Director shall comply with such requirement. (5) The High Court shall have power upon any casebeing stated under subsection(4) to detemine the matter aad for such purpose to amendthe casestatedin any mannefit thiJ*s fit. (6) The Coqt's determinationunder subsection (5) shall for the purpose ofany appeal be deemed to be madein a civil proceeding. (1) The expression"any personaggrieved,'shall include any personhaving a right or interest in the land concemed and also the StateAttomey-Generalactitig on behalf of the public or of any class of theDublic. [Mod. Swk L.N. 68/64].

Part III

Jtr

PARTIII
STATE I"AND ANDTHEAI.IENATION TI{EREOT Property in and cotrtrol ofstate lards alld wrterrrayc 12. The ertire prolerty in and cortol of State la.d ad ofall . nvers, steatrs, carals, creeksandwatef coursss andthe bed thergofi; and shall be vestedsolely in the covemmen. Di.scretioE to dienate Subject!o &e direction of the Minister under section - _, .13.{t) the Director may alienate Sbre land, other than Native 1(1A), CuslomaryLard[Sub. Ord. No.8/84J. (a) in perpetuityor for suchtermsasmay be fixed bv rules madeunder this Codefor tlte respediveclasr* of funa ,"d,r"Ji. in suchruleq (6) in consideration ofthe parmentofan armualrent;

(c) in consideration, unlessthe Majlis Mesyuarat -KemjaaD rbinks fir ro exempt thereftom in any p.,il; ;;; I:C:d he.palment ot a premiun, and where the alienation bas beeu made in consideration of the paymentof a pr"aiutn, Aa ol ue premium shali be skted. Tbe palment of thc prEmiurD, "_ount if any, may be either by a single paymentor by instalments _madc not exceedingteo years as may be determhed by :,":.1-!:T1 Ine bupenrtendent: [Am. Ord. No. 9n6; Cqp.A2gJ. (4 subject, unless the Dbector otherwise dirccts, to a categoryof land usebeingendonedon the document oftitle: anJ (e) subjed to any suchother conditionsand reshictionsas _ may be irnposedby the Director.

39

PartIII

(2) Subsection (1) shali apply with such modificationsas may be necssary to the issueof licencesor permits io respectof State lard. (3) The powersherebyvestedin the Director may be exercised by a SuperintendentsBbjectto the Director's inskuctions and the Minister's directions. [Am. Ord. No. 18/7];Ord"No. 8/841. (4) The powershereinbefore confened sha.lli[clude power to consentto modificationof any conditionsimposedby or on behalf of the Government, whtherbefofeo! after the lst day ofJanuary, 1958. [Am. Ord. I8/71]. (5) Notwithstanding the powers coderrod by this section, Stateland shallnot be alienated to arly personexcept[Sub. Ord. 18/71]. (a) a naturalperso!!;

(r) a coryorationhaving poiirer uoder its constitution to hold land; (c) a sovereign or government;

(a) an orgaoisation or other persoriauthorizedto hold land under the provisions of any law for thc time being in force relating10diplomaticatd consular privileges; (e) a body expresslyempoweredto hold land under any otherwdttel laq and (/) anypersonor body, not refered to in paragraphs (a) to (e), approvedby the Majlis Mesyuant Kerajaan Negeri as a person or body who may be registered asthe proprietorof land. [An. Od. No.9/76; Cap.A28].

LAND CODE (AMENDMEN"Ti )OOO

Amendmnt of 6ection 5 3. Section5 of the Code i$ amended_ (a) in subsection (2):

,r.

jll,l',,iJ1",1t,11ffi 1il;.ilT"1[*;3i"T*'* "oo" (ii) bV addingthe word,,or,'to the

endof paragraph

(iii) by substituting thesemi-colon andthe word.,o/, . "^ at the end of paragrapl (e) with a *A'"^""f"r; (iv) by deteringpara$aph A; (r) by deleringsubsectioDs (3), (4), (5) and (6); . (c) by renumbering subsectior (7) as subsection (3); and

arter the new subseation (3) ,n",!?"JrtdXtii*,:f;3i||l"lv

ffil"T;#d*"$:rffiru;*;:ne*
tuo"'tuting subsection (4) wirhthe following new,uor""o'jjo,li,
Amendmetrt of sectio|r 6 6 of theCodeis amer __ 4, Section

,xX':'"".t'iT[f; !,J#n*"*l"m:'*,".tt""!$i

. "(4) Ary Dativecustomaryrights lawfully created

lf, T,p#?iii;il;J","Xil:""#'o"f
ABndment of sction 7 5. Section7 of the Code is ametrded_

ar1d compeosation to.be paid to

,tl':iJl,'trf it1fl i[ry{":!i!'lir"T'.;ffi "'si"tlTl] ',i::"iiyl"il'J#:

addiagafter subsecrion (2) thc followingnew

'l;I;uHii"T'i'ii:ltf;igff :^=;{X}fi 'f i?i',fl fff;j

""b"#lr.,lJ