Saarani says PTG will continue to find ways to restore the status of the land in Sitiawan 2 as Malay-owned, including using the legal process.
Perak government is taking several measures to protect and restore the status of Malay reserve land, such as including a new caveat to ensure such land in future is transferred to Malays only, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Mentri Besar said he was aware of concerns raised by various parties over the issue lately.
He said that ever since the matter was raised in the Auditor-General’s Report in 2021, the state government through the State Land and Mines Department (PTG), had established a special committee that proposed several measures.
“Among the steps taken are to make restrictions by entering the Registrar’s Caveat for the 3,214ha land mentioned in the report to have changed ownership to non-Muslims in Sitiawan 2, as well as other lots there (Sitiawan) which were involved in development projects.
“The inclusion of the Registrar’s Caveat aims to ensure that any transfer of ownership after this is only allowed to Malays, so that Section 6 of the Malay Reserve Enactment can be enforced, which is to restore the status as Malay-owned reserve land,” he said when replying to Muhammad Faisal Abdul Rahman (PN-Trong) during question time at the assembly session.
Muhammad Faisal had asked Saarani to clarify his recent statement on Malay reserve land that had changed ownership to non-Malays when the ownership of companies changed from Malays to non-Malays.
He questioned how a company or organisation failed to set conditions to ensure the ownership consisted of Malays only.
Saarani said some of the land in the area (Sitiawan 2) had already been reverted to Malay reserve land.
“The state has also decided that any sale of development lots in the Sitiawan 2 area after this must be 100% to Malays.
“This means the ownership of assets of the Malay reserve land in the area will be higher in the future.
“PTG is also reviewing and reassessing the existing criteria for companies listed in the Third Schedule of the Malay Reserve Enactment for land ownership applications.
“Any company that does not meet the characteristics and criteria as a Malay company will be removed from the list,” he said.
Saarani said PTG also had a procedure to tighten the conditions for any ownership, through Section 7 of the enactment, and only those who are qualified and meet the conditions can submit an application for the land.
He said Perak government, through the PTG, also held negotiations with landowners including developers to ensure lands owned in Sitiawan 2 or other places are gazetted as Malay reserve land.
“So far, a total of 183.3ha have been identified by the PTG to be gazetted as Malay reserve land after obtaining the consent of the landowners who developed the area.
“To prove that the state government is serious in dealing with the issue, PTG will continue to find ways to restore the status of Malay-owned land through the legal process.”
Saarani said there would be continuous efforts by the state government to resolve the issue cautiously and responsibly.
“These measures are not only to make improvements based on the Auditor-General’s Report, but importantly to protect the interests of owners of Malay reserve land in Perak,” he added.
The state assembly sitting was adjourned sine die yesterday.
