Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim today invited MCA Selangor to the state’s upcoming briefing session on the land premium scheme should the party still have doubts about Selangor land policy.
He describes the scheme, which grants a 99-year leasehold title to qualified residents in the state, or extends their current land title by another 99 years, as being well-received by the people.
“It will be our honour to brief those who don’t comprehend the scheme, such as MCA Selangor, who can attend sessions to get hands-on knowledge of the scheme,” he offered.
“If they still don’t understand the policy, I am ready to debate them for the people to judge the matter,” he said after chairing the weekly state exco meeting.
The scheme, which has been dubbed the Private Dwelling Ownership Scheme, aims to provide legal documentation to those who have for several decades been staying on state land with marginal legal rights and protection.
Applicants need to pay an advance of RM1,000 for a land grant or leasehold title renewal, and are prohibited from renting it out or from conducting commercial activities on the land. The premium will be calculated again based on the prevailing market price should they sell or transfer the property.
The MCA, however, has condemned the scheme as an excuse to make huge profits off the people which contradicts the law, and in some cases imposes higher premiums on the property than should be the case.
Khalid said the state government will amend the relevant legal provisions to accommodate the effort. Several people have already signed up to the programme to get a land title.
On whether or not a leasehold title can be granted to dwellers who squat on forest reserve land, he said this would be decided on a case-by-case basis.
“First we need them to understand the illegality of occupying a forest reserve land,” he explained, adding that it would also be possible to degazzette the lands and distribute it to them to deserving squatters.
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