KUCHING: A total of 108 land owners involved in five construction and infrastructure upgrading projects in Bintulu received total compensations amounting to RM33,136,447.53.
From that amount, a total of 42 compensation cheques totalling RM1,003,027.08 were handed over to 42 landowners involved in the road construction project leading to Rumah Nicholas Sandom, Sungai Sigu, Pandan, Sebauh (Phase 2).
Phase 1 of this project was completed on Nov 22, 2021 where the handing over of the compensation cheques was held on March 22, 2022 at the Murum State Constituency Service Centre.
A total of 44 compensation cheques amounting to RM 27,072,559 were handed over to 44 landowners involved in the Kemena-Sibiyu 132KV Transmission Line project, while compensation cheques worth RM3,433,523 were handed over to 18 landowners involved in the proposed project of the State Security and Enforcement Unit Headquarters (UKPN) in Kampung Jepak Hilir, Kuala Bintulu.
A compensation cheque amounting to RM1,625,381.95 was also presented to a recipient involved in the Bintulu B-MLNG 275KV Transmission Line project while a compensation cheque of RM1,956.50 was presented to three landowners involved in the Jepak Bridge construction project across Kuala Kemena, Bintulu.
All the cheques were presented by Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh at the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) Auditorium, Wisma Bintulu, yesterday.
In his speech, Len said the compensation proved that the state government did not seize the people’s land.
He explained that the Sarawak government would not take land from people involved in government projects for free, instead, it would be taken based on existing provisions in the State Land Code Chapter 81 and Article 13 of the Federal Constitution.
“In the State Land Code Chapter 81 and Article 13 of the Federal Constitution, among other things, it states that no one can be deprived of his property except in accordance with the law. No law shall provide for the forcible taking or use of property without adequate compensation.
“All reclaimed land will be compensated based on an assessment from the Sarawak Land and Survey Department. This compensation will be assessed accordingly based on the existing cultivation, the construction structure if any and the size of the land involved according to the current value,” he said at the handing over of the Compensation Cheques for Projects in Bintulu Division held at the Bintulu Development Board Auditorium, Wisma Bintulu, today.
He stressed that the Sarawak government was committed to continue empowering development in rural areas to increase the economic activities of the residents, especially towards achieving the target of becoming a high-income developed state by 2030.
Earlier, Bintulu Divisional Land and Survey Superintendent, Haslinda Hamdan was confident that the five projects would provide many benefits to the residents, especially in Bintulu, in particular the road and transmission line projects that aimed to connect and provide comfort to the residents, in urban and rural areas.
She said her side would continue to help in ensuring that the projects proposed by the government run smoothly and are successful at the same time in spearheading economic growth for the state and the people, especially Bintulu town.
Sarawak Land and Survey Department Senior Assessing Officer, Hardi Fadzillah Hamzah and Bintulu Divisional Land and Survey Superintendent, Haslinda Hamdan were also present.
