Govt mulls amending land acquisition law after Duta Enclave ruling

The Star

There are plans to amend the Land Acquisition Act 1960 following the disputed land issue involving the Duta Enclave, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.  The Prime Minister said the amendment to the Act would ensure the protection of government assets and public interests.  Read more at https://tinyurl.com/mpbnk8dk  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00What is the government's action now to solve this problem?

00:08According to the decision of the Supreme Court on 23 October,

00:15more than 200 acres of land will be reacquired to SESB.

00:25Therefore, it is impossible for us to demolish the mosque of SESB in the year 2000

00:31before this case is brought to court.

00:34In all levels of the court, the government has lost.

00:37The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the SESB,

00:40and now the order is for Odom Mendemas to re-implement it.

00:46So that's what I want to know.

00:49What is the best step?

00:51Let's pray for this case to be solved and I hope to get an explanation from you.

00:58Thank you, Mr. President.

01:00Thank you for the explanation.

01:02I don't want to refer to the decision of the Minister when he became the Minister

01:10because I don't think the amount given is too much, too high.

01:18This is a precedent.

01:20A lot of land in Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Pinang was taken,

01:24even though technically, legally, it is different.

01:27But it was taken and then moved to be commercial next week by Exco.

01:33What is their situation?

01:36So we don't have a double standard here.

01:39On the other hand, we give a very decent settlement.

01:42Even though it is hundreds of thousands of acres of land.

01:45In Pulau Pinang, a lot of people are wondering what we are doing.

01:51Because a lot of land was taken, the price was RM2,000 per acre,

01:57then two weeks later, Exco made a decision to change it to industrial to commercial

02:03with an increase in price.

02:05And these people don't have access.

02:08Yes, technically, from a legal point of view, it is different.

02:12But the leaders of the country must be consistent.

02:18Don't think that one case is separate from the interests of the country as a whole.

02:23What we do in this ruling is to be patient.

02:26It is true that RM1.4 million was taken in the early stages,

02:31but then it was rejected.

02:33In the early stages, the court did not allow it.

02:37Only after 2009 did the high court decide to allow it.

02:45So the court's decision changed.

02:49But now the court's decision is not final

02:53because we are still arguing about the court's decision to move properties.

02:58It is still on the list.

03:00So it is up to the State Prosecutor's Office in this case.

03:05What are the steps to be taken?

03:08The Chief Justice has held two meetings with them

03:12to provide land that has not yet been built,

03:17to be handed over,

03:19and on the condition that it works with government companies.

03:23And the benefits will also be great.

03:26What I want to say to this noble court is

03:30we have to remember that our decision to lose this case

03:35is easy.

03:37It means opening up space for the people,

03:42especially the Malay villages in the city that were taken.

03:45Why don't we link it?

03:48So if we give up easily,

03:52as it was decided by the previous High Court,

03:55I don't think it will solve the problem.

03:59We have to be firm in the principle that

04:01if it is taken for the purpose of the people,

04:03up until now, not even one inch has been taken

04:07to be built for private or commercial purposes.

04:11Everything is built for the government.

04:13Mosques, hikmah, and government complexes.

04:16Tennis courts.

04:18And because of that,

04:20I feel that space should be given to the government.

04:23I urge them

04:26that this is a government project since 1956.

04:30And if necessary,

04:32we can see how the Ministry of State is doing now,

04:36to investigate the aspect of legislation

04:38so that the laws are tightened,

04:41the public interest cannot be sacrificed.

04:44Because if we compromise on this,

04:47don't get me wrong,

04:48then all the lands,

04:51especially the Malay lands in the city,

04:53will be renewed.

04:55And if we are willing to pay Rp 560 billion,

04:58we can start solving the way suggested earlier.

05:02Because of that, we, as the Ministry of State,

05:04we do not agree with that legislation.

05:06I urge and make it clear to them

05:08that they will get compensation far higher than Rp 1.4 billion.

05:12But we cannot assume that this is easy.

05:16Because this is not only an issue of the technicalities of the law,

05:20but also an issue of the principles of the development of the state and public interest.

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