KESEDAR SETTLERS TO RECEIVE LAND GRANTS SOON AFTER 40 ODD YEARS OF WAITING - AHMAD ZAHID

GUA MUSANG, April 28 (Bernama) – A more than 40-year wait for settlers in the South Kelantan Development Authority's (KESEDAR) Land Development Plan (RKT) to own their own land will come to an end when they receive land grants for their farm lots soon, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said this land ownership transfer was the first time carried out by KESEDAR.

"This matter was raised during the Nenggiri State Legislative Assembly (DUN) by-election last year," he said and today, I witnessed the process of signing the transfer of ownership form between the settlers and the Gua Musang Land and Colony Office," he said.

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He told this to reporters after attending the Handover Ceremony of the Prosperous People's Housing Programme and the Hari Raya Aidilfitri KESEDAR Ceremony at the Kampung Jerek Public Square, here today.

Ahmad Zahid said the issue had been raised during the Nenggiri state by-election, and although he did not make any promises at the time, he was determined to resolve the land title issue.

Commenting further, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the handover of this grant would have a big impact on the settlers.

"This land title is a 'game changer' for the settlers who have been waiting for more than 40 years," he said adding that KESEDAR has now paid land premiums to the state government.

"It (the land) has been divided into lots to the settlers and the grant will be handed over after all Form 14A is prepared," he said.

Meanwhile, a settler from the Renok Baru Land Development Plan (RKT), Samsudin Yakob, 56, expressed his gratitude since the long wait to get a land grant had finally ended.

"I would like to thank the Federal Government, the state government, the South Kelantan Development Authority (KESEDAR), and the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for caring and solving the problems faced by the settlers over a few decades.

"As the first generation to open settlers' land here since 1978, I am certainly happy with this decision, because some of my comrades have passed away," he told Bernama today.

Samsudin said signing Form 14A and receiving land grants meant a lot to the settlers as their source of income depended on oil palm plantations.

"As a first-generation settler, I am very happy and satisfied as I will own 10 acres of land that has been cultivated with oil palm plantations before," he said.

Meanwhile, a settler from RKT Paloh, Hassan Salleh also stated that today was an history day for settlers to own land grants in the KESEDAR area.

"I am honoured and grateful because perhaps the land grant ownership process will be implemented in stages to other settlers. Thank Allah, and thank you to those who have given us the grant after 45 years of waiting," he said.

-- BERNAMA