MP: Settle decades-old Orang Asli land case according to market price
Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim has lauded what appears to be the pending settlement of a decades-old compensation case involving the Orang Laut Seletar community in Stulang Laut, Johor Bahru.
The case, dating back to 1993, involves compensation for a parcel of prime land in Stulang Laut, where the shopping centre known as The Zon now stands...
Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim has lauded what appears to be the pending settlement of a decades-old compensation case involving the Orang Laut Seletar community in Stulang Laut, Johor Bahru.
The case, dating back to 1993, involves compensation for a parcel of prime land in Stulang Laut, where the shopping centre known as The Zon now stands.
The plot was worth an estimated RM23 million in a 2005 valuation, yet the compensation offered by the Johor government in 2018 was just RM255,000, or RM5,000 per family.
Despite two significant court decisions, the families saw no compensation for decades. Last week, however, recently appointed Johor Menteri Besar Dr Sahruddin Jamal promised a swift resolution to the case.
While lauding the state government's commitment to resolving the case, Hassan emphasised that a number of points should be adhered to.
"The case resolution should come about as a direct negotiation between the Johor government through the state legal advisor with lawyers representing the Orang Laut Seletar community," he told Malaysiakini.
"The solution should not be made in the form of a unilateral decision, and must abide by past decisions made by the High Court."
In 1993, the Orang Laut Seletar in Stulang Laut were forced to relocate from the land they had lived on for decades.
Located in both southern Johor and Singapore, the Orang Laut Seletar are one of the smallest Orang Asli tribes, with an estimated population of under 3,000 – leaving their language and culture under threat.
Despite winning a High Court battle against the director-general of the Johor Land and Mines Department in 2010, among others, the authorities refused to conduct an assessment of the compensation claims.
The community went on to win again at the Court of Appeal two years later, but once again found no compensation forthcoming.
Last Monday, the High Court granted leave to proceed with a mandamus hearing to ascertain the value of the Stulang Laut land, which sources believe is now worth over RM100 million.
As Hassan told Malaysiakini, "The estimated compensation should be based on the Land Acquisition Act 1960, and carried out according to the market price for the land."
Sahruddin said on Friday that the Johor government would decide on compensation to the Orang Laut Seletar in Stulang Laut at a state executive council meeting, scheduled for Wednesday.
"We will inform the people about the outcome of the meeting.
"The issue started under the previous government and we have only started gaining insight on the matter recently,” he said, adding that the Johor government would also find out why the matter was allowed to drag on for so long despite a court order.
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