SUPP Public Complaints Bureau ready to serve

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Yap (left) and a Mr Tan at the site of the transmission tower.

KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party, Public Complaints Bureau (SUPP PCB) will continue to lend a hand to members of the public who come across any problems but do not know how to approach them.

Its chief Wilfred Yap was recently approached by a landowner in Matang here who requested his assistance in appealing to a power utility company for adequate compensation as a result of the company erecting a transmission tower base on his land.

In a statement yesterday, Yap said that he had been informed by the landowner that the power utility company had previously offered to pay a sum of RM2,140 as compensation, which he rejected in August 2015 as he felt it was not adequate.

“The landowner also informed SUPP PCB that he had not received any further response from the said power utility company after he rejected their proposed compensation.

“Thus, he approached SUPP PCB and requested my advice and assistance on how best to solve his predicament. Upon his request, I wrote an appeal on the landowner’s behalf for the power utility company to look into his predicament and for their consideration of adequate compensation which reflects the market value of his land used by the power utility company as a transmission tower base,” Yap said.

Yap added that he would continue to follow up and monitor the situation until an amicable conclusion to the satisfaction of all affected parties is reached.

“For general information, the Federal Constitution provides that ‘no person shall be deprived of property, save in accordance with law’ and ‘no law shall provide for the compulsory acquisition or use of property without adequate compensation’.

“It is therefore imperative for landowners to understand their rights to ensure that these rights are protected and adequately compensated in the event of compulsory acquisition. In Sarawak, Section 60 of the Sarawak Land Code (Cap.81) specifies the matters to be considered in determining the amount of compensation to be awarded for land compensation,” Yap stated.

Members of the public who require assistance in any matters of public interest are advised to contact SUPP PCB at 016-7797688 or 082-246999 or visit the SUPP head office.