KUCHING, July 19 — The Sarawak government has plans to develop the plots of land to be returned to the state by the Federal government, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
He said the development plan would be implemented by relevant state agencies in the respective divisions.
“…some land is still under discussion (to be returned to the Sarawak government),” Abang Johari said after attending the state-level Maal Hijrah celebrations at the Sarawak Islamic Complex, earlier today.
Elaborating, he said the plots of land were previously acquired by the Federal government for development projects but due to various reasons, the projects could not be implemented.
“…so, we (Sarawak) think that if the plots are not used it is better to hand them back to Sarawak,” Abang Johari said.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the federal government has agreed to return 52 plots of land to Sarawak and three to Sabah which were acquired from the Sabah and Sarawak governments in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Fadillah, who is also Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said the two state governments would pay back to the Federal government the amount of compensation that was paid when it took over the land, adding that Sarawak had wanted a total of 219 plots of land to be returned, while Sabah five.
— Bernama
