TUARAN Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau has urged the Federal Government to maintain the RM75 million annual allocation for the Sabah Native Land Survey Programme (Pantas), instead of reducing it to the proposed RM10 million.
He said the programme should prioritise resolving applications and issuing land titles to eligible owners, rather than merely surveying land or installing boundary markers.
“It should be remembered that success is not measured by the number of boundary markers installed, but by the number of titles received by eligible owners. Boundary markers are not land titles!” he said while debating Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat.
Madius, who is also Tamparuli assemblyman, said Pantas had surveyed 25,591 native land lots between January 2020 and June 2026. However, as of June 30, 2026, another 26,808 land applications were still being processed.
He said the figures highlighted the need for a more systematic effort to expedite the resolution of native customary land applications in Sabah.
He proposed launching a Sabah Native Land Resolution Mission using digital technology, including an Indigenous Peoples’ application database, land survey data, an application monitoring system and targets for land title issuance.
He said the initiative should also take into account Malaysia’s commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Malaysia supported in 2007, while ensuring that recognition of native customary land was implemented in accordance with state laws.
“Resolving native customary land issues is important because land is not merely an asset, but is closely linked to the history, identity and future of Sabah’s Indigenous families.
“I hope the Government will prioritise the continuity of Pantas funding so that the survey process can be translated into the issuance of land titles to eligible owners,” he added.
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