Awang Tengah Ali Hasan
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has extended the deadline for land premium refund applications from Oct 31 to Dec 31 this year due to the number of eligible landowners who have not submitted their claims, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
He said the extension was applicable for all land lots under the Resettlement Scheme (SPS) and Village Expansion Scheme (SPK), except for those in Demak SPS Phase 3, 4 and 6.
“The original deadline was set for Oct 31, but as of Oct 31, about 1,985 lots that are eligible for land premium refund applications have not come forward to apply for the refund. Thus, the state government decided to extend the deadline for land premium refund applications to Dec 31.
“Land owners who are eligible for the application but who have not done so are advised to apply by filling up the available form and sending it in to the Land and Survey Department before or on Dec 31,” he told a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly building today.
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Urban Development and Natural Resources Minister, said the land premium refunds amounted to RM43.4 million for 7,174 land titles.
“The conditions for refund are lots belonging to the original owner, lots that have been transferred via Letter of Administration or lots that have been transferred by way of ‘love and affection’ between immediate family members,” he said.
In his ministerial winding up speech earlier, Awang Tengah said the state government had carried out and were implementing about 44 SPS and SPK projects involving 4,524 lots under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
“The projects amount to about RM360 million, and the state government will continue the SPS and SPK programmes under the 12th Malaysia Plan,” he said.
He added that the state government was committed to improving the quality of life for the low-income group, specifically in SPS and SPK where he said the state government, through a new policy, would be improving specifications and basic infrastructure components in new schemes that will be carried out.
“The roads will be upgraded from gravel roads to tar-sealed roads and lots that were unfilled will be filled and levelled out. Earth drains will also be upgraded to concrete drains, and basic infrastructure such as electricity and water supply is also prepared,” Awang Tengah said.