Govt never acquires land without justifiable compensation, landowners assured
SIBU: The compensations and payments for land acquisitions slated for development and infrastructure are made according to the stipulated market value and structure, says Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh.
He stressed that the government would not simply take the people’s land without paying any compensation in accordance with reasonable value.
“Thus, there is no issue of landowners losing out, as alleged by certain quarters.
“The land compensation payment is in line with our laws.
“There is no issue of land acquisition or usage of property forcefully without justifiable compensation,” he said when speaking prior to the handover of land compensation payments to a number of local landowners at the civic centre here yesterday, where Sibu Division Land and Survey Department superintendent Norlina Ra’ee was also present.
Len Talif said the Sarawak government, through the Land and Survey Department, had paid out a total of RM12.03 million to 142 landowners involved in land acquisition for implementation of four projects in the division – namely the extension works on Lada Road; Rantau Panjang industrial site; the proposed development of telecommunications, infrastructure and facilities on parts of Lot 264, Block 4 Assan Land District, Paradom; and the proposed construction of a bridge crossing Tamin River in Selangau.
“The state government has never taken and will never take the people’s land without appropriate compensation.
“On the contrary, every compensation (for land slated for development) has been paid in accordance with the stipulated market value and structure,” he reiterated.
According to Len Talif, the extension works on Lada Road, spanning 1.8km, involves 128 recipients of land compensation payout, which amounts to a total of RM10.4 million.
Upon completion, the extended road would link Lada Road to the Salim-Stabau Road.
He also disclosed that there were four landowners who received compensation payment totalling RM1.5 million, in relation to the Rantau Panjang Industrial Estate–Phase 1 Sibu project.
This site involved three parcels of land, out of which one had a title, while the other two were Native Customary Rights ( NCR) land.
On proposed development of telecommunications, infrastructure and facilities on parts of Lot 264 Block 4 Assan Land District, Paradom, Len Talif said it involved a land size of 0.2326 hectare, with compensation value of RM82,600.
He said for the proposed Tamin River bridge project, it would involve a NCR land covering 0.3667 hectare.
Len Talif said the land compensation value for the project was RM12,126, and the project would be implemented by the Public Works Department (JKR).