Dept: Land rents paid in advance will be refunded

KUCHING: The Land and Survey Department has given its assurance that all annual land rents of residential and agriculture ( less than 100 acres) lands which have been paid in advance by landowners will be refunded.

In response to Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong’s recent statement that many smallholders and residential lands owners who have paid their quit rent in advance this year were unable to claim their refunds at Land and Survey Department Office here, the department’s Public Relations Unit said it was fully aware of the matter through numerous requests received from landowners.

“The department would like to clarify that all annual land rents of residential and agriculture ( less than 100 acres) land which are due with effect from March 15, 2016 onwards and paid in advance by landowners will be refunded,” said a spokesperson.

The spokesperson also noted that to date, the Land and Survey Department has received the request for refund of advance rent involving 600 residential lots and 445 agriculture ( less than 100 acres) lots, and is currently in the process of finalising the refund.

“With this clarification, it is hoped that there shall be no more confusion regarding this matter and the Land and Survey Department hereby advise landowners to come forward to the respective divisional offices of Land and Survey Department should they need further clarifications or to follow up on their requests.”

Last week, Yong told a press conference that many landowners had gone to the Land and Survey Department office to claim refunds only to be informed that the refund was only applicable to those who made advance payments for 2017 and onwards.