KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Government remains committed to assisting the Sabah State Government in accelerating the resolution of customary land issues through the implementation of the Sabah Customary Land Survey Services Programme (PANTAS), which has been in operation since 2011.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Ts. Mustapha Sakmud, stated that the programme aims to expedite land surveying, the issuance of land titles, and the provision of land ownership certainty to eligible Sabahans.
He said this in response to a supplementary question from the Member of Parliament for Tuaran, Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, during a session of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives).
According to him, the Federal Government has allocated a total of RM191.054 million for the PANTAS programme under the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK-11), the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12), and the First Rolling Plan for 2026 under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13).
He noted that as of June 30, 2026, the PANTAS programme had successfully surveyed 214,171 hectares of land across Sabah, benefiting 95,206 recipients.
Mustapha added that the government would continue to strengthen its collaboration with the Sabah State Government and the Sabah Lands and Surveys Department (JTU) to ensure the programme is implemented with greater efficiency and effectiveness, until the issues surrounding customary land are fully resolved.
Earlier, Madius urged the Federal Government to maintain the RM70 million allocation for the PANTAS programme to ensure the resolution of land ownership issues that have long burdened thousands of rural residents.
He emphasized that for the people of Sabah, land is more than just an asset; it serves as a source of livelihood, a family legacy, a cornerstone of community identity, and a guarantee for the future of coming generations. According to him, many rural residents are still working on land that lacks a valid title, even though they have occupied the land for decades.
Madius stated that the PANTAS programme, introduced in 2011, has proven highly beneficial to the people by accelerating the surveying of customary land and the issuance of land titles.
In this regard, he urged the government not only to maintain the RM70 million allocation for the programme but also to consider increasing the funding in the future to expedite the resolution of customary land issues in Sabah.
