Plan for streamlined land law covering all states

11/07/2001 The Star By Zulkifli Abd Rahman

Kuala Lumpur: The land laws in the peninsula and  Sabah and Sarawak may be merged into the proposed National Land Act. Land and Co-operative Development Minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam said yesterday.

He said the two land ordinances should be combined to ensure that a more effective management of land matters could be implemented.

"Due to the rapid development in the country, it is imperative that a streamlined land law be implemented under the supervision of the Federal Government.

"Our officers will hold meetings with state government officials, and also organise dialogues and seminars, before bringing this matter to the Cabinet for discussion," Kasitah told reporters after launching a  seminar on amendments to the Malaysian land laws here yesterday.

He said the country needed a uniform law which could be used nationwide which would also enable the authorities to implement land-related programmes in a more effective way.

"However, the states will have to study the matter before the suggestion is made possible," he added.

Land matters in peninsular Malaysia are administered under the National Land Code, while Sabah and Sarawak use their own land ordinances.

Kasitah said some provisions in the Sabah and Sarawak land ordinances could be taken and used at the Federal level.

He added that the state governments would still have the power to decide on land matters in their states, while native land rights matters in Sabah and Sarawak would not be affected.

Among the proposed amendments to the Land Act were that permission should be sought from the  Estate Land Fragmentation Board before any development projects be carried out on farm or estate land.

Another proposed amendment involved the auction of land, in which the courts would take over the auction after a second attempt fails to attract buyers.

Kasitah said the new process would help expedite the auctioning of land.

He added that previously, the auction process took a long time.