BINTULU: Compensations totalling RM10.84 million were yesterday distributed to 160 landowners affected by the construction of a 44km road from Nyabau to Bakun junctions, which forms part of the proposed Pan Borneo Highway.
The recipients were the first batch of landowners in the state entitled to receive the land compensation from the state government ever since the Pan Borneo Highway project was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last March 31.
Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan handed over the cheques at Wisma Bintulu.
“This compensation is for those who are entitled, who has the land title.
“Those who are occupying state land will be considered for ex-gratia payment, the quantum of which will be studied by the Land and Survey Department. They (department) will solve this matter in a short time,” said Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Public Utilities and Minister of Industrial Development.
He advised those affected to give their full cooperation to the Land and Survey Department and to be honest by giving the correct information.
The state government, he added, was concerned about the wellbeing of those affected. By right, they were not entitled for compensation under the Land Ordinance.
The Pan Borneo Highway is a dream of all Sarawakians, the single biggest engineering project ever implemented in the state, said Awang Tengah.
Once completed, it would enhance the state’s development landscape and the rural areas would be connected to the highway.
“It will increase the socio-economic standard of the people, who might come up with their own business projects and open their lands for commercial cultivation.”
Also present were Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Land and Survey Department deputy director (Operation) Zaidi Mahdi, Bintulu Resident Muhamad Yakup Kari and Bintulu Land and Survey Department Supt Kiu Chiong Chong.-Borneo Post
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