KOTA KINABALU: The Land and Survey Department is studying the proposal by Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Shareda) to consider reinstating the 999-year land lease term for subdivided titles.
Its director Datuk Osman Jamal said they were waiting for a complete report from the relevant authority on the issue before making a decision on the proposal.
Speaking to reporters after delivering his talk on Customary Land Rights and Community Title at the Sabah Information Department’s briefing and dialogue with the media, here, yesterday, he explained that previously, the 999 years lease was only issued for agricultural purposes.
“And if they wish to change the purpose to commercial, under the Sabah Land Ordinance 1930, the lease will be reduced to 99 years only,” he said.
Shareda’s president Datuk Susan Wong said the proposal was made for the interest of the house buyers, adding that the 999-year term should be maintained for the original master title after conversion and subdivision.
She said developers in Sabah were hoping the Housing Ministry would consider easing the release mechanism of the five percent deposit for housing project developers.
The deposit is required by the authority as a guarantee before issuing the Housing Developer Licence for a new housing project.
On another development, Osman said there have been no fresh customary rights issued after the Sabah Land Ordinance 1930 took effect.
“But we have set seven other methods for the people to look into when applying for their land titles. We cannot depend on issuing Native Customary Rights to give natives’ land, we have to offer variety to the applications. Up to today, since the implementation of the communal land titles, some 47 per cent of natives have owned land, totaling some 12,000 hectares,” he said.