90% of Kg Baru landowners agree to sell lots but at higher price

The government says if it pays a higher price for the Kampung Baru land, then the houses that will be built on it will also cost more.

SHAH ALAM: Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad has described as “incorrect” reports that 90% of Kampung Baru landowners were agreeable to the RM850 per sq ft offer by the government.

He clarified that 90% of the landowners agreed to sell their lots and were also agreeable to the Kampung Baru Development Project, but wanted a higher price.

On Wednesday, Khalid was reported as saying that out of the 700 to 800 forms received by Kampung Baru Development Corporation (PKB) from landowners, about 90% of them agreed to an offer of RM850 per sq ft from the government.

Yesterday, speaking on the Wacana Sinar Harian programme, Khalid said the government could not offer a very high price to the landowners as it would have implications on the development.

“If we buy expensive land, then the houses that would be constructed would also have to be sold at a high price and this will affect the desire to keep the area permanently owned by Malays,” he said.

Also appearing on the programme were Property Valuation and Service Department senior director Abdul Razak Yusak, and Real Estate consultant Ishak Ismail.

Razak said the terms of the Kampung Baru land were that it was a Malay agricultural settlement (MAS) and the conditions were more stringent compared to Malay reserve land.

“The MAS terms are more stringent as the owners and residents of the land must be Malays compared to Malay reserve land where the owners must be Malays but there are no restrictions on their occupants,” he said.

He said the RM850 per sq ft offer was reasonable and should be agreed upon. - FMT