đź“ť Summary
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) strengthened international collaboration through a benchmarking visit to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines in Queensland, Australia, to gain insights into marine administration practices. The visit focused on title registration, land and marine valuation frameworks, and spatial information management, with the aim of developing a comprehensive Marine Cadastre Framework in Malaysia. The knowledge exchange highlighted the importance of integrating legal and administrative records to support informed decision-making in marine space administration.
QUEENSLAND, Sep 29 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), together with the Land and Survey Department of Sarawak (JTS) and the Land Surveyors Board of Sarawak, conducted an international benchmarking visit to the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development (NRMMRRD), Queensland, Australia.
The visit aimed to gain insights into Australian practices, institutional frameworks and technical approaches relevant to marine administration. The delegation was received by NRMMRRD Deputy Director-General Amy Rosanowski, providing a platform for knowledge exchange on land and marine administration, cadastral systems and spatial governance.
The benchmarking programme focused on title registration, statutory land and marine valuation frameworks, Queensland cadastral surveying, and spatial information management.
NRMMRRD Senior Policy Officer for Land Policy & Strategy Aimee Baker shared insights into Australia’s land title registration system and policy framework.
Valuer-General and Executive Director Laura Dietrich delivered a session on land and marine valuation, highlighting statutory valuation frameworks and their relevance to land and marine administration.
Discussions also covered Queensland’s cadastral surveying practices and the management and application of spatial information to support effective administration of land and marine spaces.
The engagement highlighted the importance of integrating legal and administrative records, statutory valuation mechanisms, accurate cadastral surveys and reliable geospatial datasets to support informed decision-making.
The delegation gained insights into the institutional and technical arrangements underpinning land administration in Queensland, as well as the potential relevance of these practices to developing a Marine Cadastre in Malaysia.
The knowledge exchange emphasised the need for coordinated legal, technical and institutional frameworks to identify, record and administer marine spaces.
The visit also strengthened opportunities for collaboration between UTM, JTS Sarawak, the Land Surveyors Board of Sarawak and Australian counterparts in research, technical knowledge exchange, professional development and capacity building.
It provided an opportunity to identify approaches that could be assessed and adapted to Sarawak’s legal, geographical and administrative context. Such collaboration can help bridge academic research, government operational requirements, and professional expertise to address emerging challenges in marine cadastre implementation.
Overall, the benchmarking visit to NRMMRRD represents a step towards strengthening institutional and professional links while advancing knowledge of marine cadastre implementation in Malaysia. Insights from Queensland’s experience in title registration, statutory valuation, cadastral surveying and spatial information management could contribute to developing a comprehensive, integrated and sustainable Marine Cadastre Framework to support effective marine space administration and the long-term sustainable management of coastal and marine resources.
