Govt urged to issue perpetual leases for KMC flats land

WONG King Wei (DAP-Padungan) urges the state government to issue perpetual leases for the land where the KMC flats are sited to preserve the city’s ‘welfare heritage’.

He, however, expressed relief that the land lease for the KMC flats, which will expire some time next year, has been vested to Kuching South City Council (MBKS) after continuous pressure from DAP.

“We finally see some breakthrough to the issue whereby the land will be resumed to the state government upon the expiry of the land lease in 2017, according to Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in his reply on Monday,” he told a press conference at the DUN complex yesterday.

“The KMC flats will be vested to MBKS for the existing usage of current tenants for the time being but this is not good enough,” he said.

Without perpetual lease agreements, Wong expressed concern over the fact that the land lease renewal would still depend on the future development of the area as mentioned by Awang Tengah.

“This is the reason why I stood up to voice out the issue in Monday’s sitting. We want to have a crystal clear understanding that the land where KMC flats sit on will be preserved for the purpose of the welfare of the people.”

He reiterated that vesting the land to the council did not guarantee the preservation of the purpose of the land, which was meant for the welfare of deserving locals.

“Upon expiry, the landowner is the state government and the buildings are held in trust for welfare purpose under the council,” he said.

The only way to preserve that sole purpose of the buildings, not only for the present generation but also for generations to come, he said was to issue perpetual leases for the land.

“This is the legacy from the British government that needs to be preserved and to be passed on. This is already a welfare heritage.

“Local political parties should protect this place for the wellbeing of its people like the British did,” he added.

Meanwhile, Violet Yong ( DAPPending) wanted MBKS and the Local Government Ministry to come up with a conclusive decision on the continued operation of the annual Chinese New Year ( CNY) market in Kenyalang Park.

“I was made to understand that MBKS and Local Government Ministry have had a meeting on Nov 11 to discuss the matter after rumours that the market will be discontinued.

“There was some confusion later. No one dared give a conclusive answer that the market will continue as usual. After being pressured by DAP, they have now decided to continue with the market,” she added.

The CNY market which has been around for more than 20 years, Yong added, was an important avenue for small-time hawkers to earn a decent living.

“The local government, especially MBKS, should not ruin and deny these small hawkers the opportunities to do business. It is the local government’s core responsibility to help local businesses. If the CNY market is discontinued, it will affect some 320 hawkers operating 270 stalls annually,” she said.

Regardless of what had been said, Yong urged MBKS and the Local Government Ministry to be committed to their words and to set up the market now as CNY is only two months away.