SOCIETY for Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Sarawak (Scrips) secretary-general Michael Jok said many were surprised there is a law in Sarawak requiring licences to own drones and permits from police and local civil aviation offices to fly the devices.
“There are thousands of people who have drones and I am sure they must have been caught unawares, too.
“When did the state government enact such a law? Why was it never publicly announced until now?”
He said drones are used extensively by his group for the aerial mapping of native lands, survey of farms, boundary demarcation of rural longhouses, identifying illegal logging, and agriculture.
“How are our rural members going to apply for licences and permits to fly drones?
“Such a law on licence and permit requirement can only be applicable in cities and towns, not in rural districts,” he said.
Jok said drones should be regulated in urban areas as the people there usually use these devices for recreation.
However, in rural Sarawak, drones are a necessity for land surveying and farm management, he said.
It was announced on Wednesday that people in Sarawak who buy drones must apply for an ownership licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
State Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin said even with a licence, drone owners must also get permits from local police and CAAM offices to fly the devices.
Lee said many were not aware of these requirements and were operating drones as if they were for casual use.
“Drones are classified as a form of unmanned aircraft,” he said. “By law, there are strict regulations to follow when operating any aircraft, manned or unmanned.
“There have been cases in Sarawak of police seizing drones from people who fly them during events in public places.”
Drones come in various sizes and engine capacities.
Some can fly up to 8km and are equipped with cameras capable of photography and video recording.
While many fly drones as a hobby, law enforcement agencies use drones for surveillance and investigation.
Lee did not say if Sarawak authorities would crack down on drone owners flying the gadgets without licences or permits. – The Vibes, December 8, 2023.
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