Land and Survey explains refusal to renew land lease

KUCHING: The Land and Survey Department rejected the application for renewal of the land lease of Lot 176 Gading Lundu Land District because ground investigations showed the land was used to operate a resort.

A statement from the department’s public relations unit said this was a clear breach of the permissible use of the land which is conditioned for agricultural purposes only.

The department said this in response to a press conference by Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen on Wednesday attended by representatives of Ocean Beach Resort over its application to renew the land lease which will expire on Dec 31, 2024. Chong said he had written a letter to the dept seeking an explanation on the latter’s refusal to renew the land lease.

According to the dept, the land owner through their consultant was called up and advised to remedy the breach by submitting a proper application for a variation of title condition (AVTC) for consideration by the State Planning Authority (SPA).

“Upon approval of the AVTC, a new title bearing a term of 60 years will then be issued after all formalities have been completed,” it said.

Chong also pointed out that “few individuals” have approached the land owners last year to buy the parcel of land owned by co-propietors of the resort but the owners refused to sell.