Felda denies settlers at risk of losing land rights

Felda today denied the news report in Berita Harian, among others, claiming that its settlers were at risk of losing their land rights, alleging that the contents in the article were inaccurate.

Felda Land Management Department's head of the legacy unit, said the study cited in the report, which involved only 130 respondents in Felda Bukit Tangga, Kedah, did not describe the actual situation.

This is because the number of settlers nationwide were 112,635 people, while the total number of Felda residents including the new generation stood at 2.5 million, he added.

"In this regard, this study cannot be used as reference material to introduce any new policies as it will be harmful to all parties," he said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

Last Thursday, Berita Harian, quoting the study of senior lecturer of University Teknologi Mara's Property Management Studies Centre in Shah Alam, associate professor Rohayu Abdul Majid claimed that there were legislative restrictions preventing any land transfer to the second generation (of settlers).

This, according to Rohayu, as reported by the newspaper, occurred because the land was subject to Akta Kawasan Penempatan Berkelompok 1967 (the Group Settlement Area Act 1967), thereby causing its status to be different from ordinary land under the Kanun Tanah Negara (National Land Code).

Yassin explained that Felda together with the land settlers and state land offices had been cooperating from the beginning as enacted in the Land Act (Group Settlement Area) 1960 in addressing the issue of inheritance and land ownership holistically.

He said the researchers should refer to Felda's headquarters management to understand the contents of the act before making a conclusion in the study which could invite polemics among Felda citizens on land inheritance issues.

Yassin said the (Group Settlement Area) Act 1960 states that the settler's land can be transferred, mortgaged and rented, but only the name of two persons may be registered in such property so that the land is not physically divided, thus risking its economic value.

However, he added that the act stated that the land of settlers could not be broken down into borders, leased and sub-leased partially or wholly.

On difficulty faced on land purchase or sale, Yassin said Felda did not authorise such deals because of certain conditions, and the owner must ensure that they are a citizen, aged 18 years and over, have no agricultural land above two acres or one lot of land.

He said settlers' land could also be acquired by the government, among others, for the development of new towns, highways and the East Coast Railway projects under the Land Acquisition Act 1960 with compensation payable to the nominee registered as land administrator or every eligible beneficiary.

- Bernama