‘Submit land premium refund forms by Dec 31’

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Dr Sim (seated centre) at the press conference with SUPP Batu Kawah deputy chairman Lim Ah Ted (second left), local community leader Temenggong Datuk Tan Joo Phoi (second right) and others. Standing at right is political secretary to the chief minister Tan Kai.

KUCHING: The eligible landowners who have yet to apply for land premium refunds are urged to do so by this Dec 31.

According to Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, the land premium refund is an initiative by the Sarawak government slated for those involved in the Resettlement Scheme (SPS) or Village Expansion Scheme (SPK).

He sees it is a way to assist the urban poor community.

“I urge those eligible for the refund but have yet to apply for it, to come to any of our service centres and we will assist you,” he spoke in a press conference held at Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Batu Kawah Service Centre here yesterday.

Dr Sim, who is also SUPP president, also disclosed that 467 landowners in Batu Kawah – where he is the assemblyman – had received their refunds, while another 161 from the same constituency, 97 from the Stampin area and 33 in Sungai Apong, had yet to submit theirs.

During the just-concluded Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the deadline for the land premium refund applications had been extended to Dec 31, from the initial Oct 31 deadline, because the owners of the 1,985 landlots in Sarawak entitled to the refund had yet to come forward.

The payable land premium by landowners in SPS or SPK is capped at RM2,500 by the Sarawak government, and it can be paid in instalments over a span of 10 years.

In September last year, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said RM43.4 million had been allocated for the refund payment of 7,174 land titles, following the Sarawak government’s decision to reduce land premiums for all SPSes and SPKs.

The entitled landowners who wish to apply for the premium refunds should bring along copies of their personal documents, letter of probate, the personal documents of the land administrators in the event that the original landowners had passed away, payment receipts or any payment-related documents, the first page of the bank account book, and land title documents, to any SUPP service centres in Sarawak.

There must be three sets of copies of these documents.