House owners get Qualified Titles

17/05/2002 The Star

PENANG: House owners of Lot 998, Mukim 18, Mount Erskine, whose units were on land forfeited to the state for non-payment of quit rent about 10 years ago, have finally received the Qualified Titles for their land.

Chairman of the Mount Erskine House Owners Committee, Chin Sek Ham, said the land was alienated to the owners under a 60-year leasehold through the help of Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Kebun Bungah assemblyman Dr Teng Hock Nan and Bukit Bendera MP Chia Kwang Chye.

“Normally when a piece of land is forfeited to the state and after the appeal is successful, the land is returned to the landowner with a penalty imposed.

“In our case, the state government entertained our appeal,’’ he said at the presentation of 148 qualified titles-cum-thanksgiving dinner at Lot 998 last Friday.

In his speech, Dr Koh said it was not his policy to approve the requests of housing developers if the project would not benefit the rakyat.

“In the early 1990s, I was approached by some developers who wanted to build high rise units, which could accommodate more people on Lot 998.

“The developers tried to convince me that the land was occupied by squatters.

“When I made a surprise visit to the area, I saw a housing estate with proper homes and there was water and electric supply.

“So, I went back and although the process was tedious and long, I discussed the situation with my executive councillors and was all for approving the landowners’ appeal for titles,’’ he added.

He said that in decision-making, the government would weigh what was beneficial for the majority of the people and the profit for the state.

“In most cases, what’s good for the people will be the priority,’’ he added.