KUCHING: The Land and Survey Department has called on those involved in overlapping ownership of a parcel of land in Bako to be patient as the matter is being probed.
Kuching Division Land and Survey Superintendent Abdullah Julaihi in a press statement said he was aware of the case as it was brought to the attention of the department about three weeks ago.
“This case involves an Occupation Ticket, a pre Land Code title issued back in 1925 under the former Land Ordinance, while the alleged overlapping title was issued following a Settlement Operation in 1992.
“As this investigation will require the department to dig out historical records, my officers will need more time in order to get to the bottom of the case. Therefore, I hope that the affected landowners could bear with the department while the officers continue to search for the old records.
“I assure the department is investigating the matter thoroughly and once investigation is completed, I will personally call the landowners and provide full explanation to them as well as advise them on the next course of action,” said Abdullah in the five-paragraph statement.
On Tuesday, a group claimed that their land in Bako, which is about eight acres in size, have overlapping ownership.
Ong Teck Chuk, 70, one of the co-proprietors, said he had a shock of his life upon finding out that their land (referred to as Permit of Year 1352/1925) that they bought from one Salleh Kamal in 1974 was also claimed by another group of three different people.
“Based on the record obtained from the Land and Survey Department office a perpetual title was issued for the same piece of land referred to as Lot 301 Block 5 MTLD to three individuals in 1992,” he told a news conference held at the State Democratic Action Party (DAP) headquarters here.
He said what made it even fishier and illogical was both groups had been paying for the premium of the same land with the rate for the occupation ticket at RM212 whereas the perpetuity title was only RM8 per annum.
“This is something very ridiculous and we want the government to check the matter because we believe that this may not be an isolated case. If it can happen to us, it can also happen to others,” said Ong.
The other land co-proprietors were Wang Siew Lan alias Ong Siew Lan, 65, and Ong Hea Lin alias Ong Teck Eng, 62, and Kwek Chin Wei Andrew, 34.