Zahid says it again, Kesedar land under federal, not state's purview

NENGGIRI BY-ELECTION | BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reaffirmed that the issues faced by South Kelantan Development Board (Kesedar) settlers are under federal government purview.

As such, Zahid refuted Kelantan Menteri Besar Mohd Nassuruddin Daud’s statement that the Kesedar settler land issue can only be resolved by the PAS-led state government.

“I want to respond to accusations that the land owned by Kesedar belongs to the Kelantan government.

“In reality, we know that the National Land Code states that any land that has been paid its land grant premium under Kesedar belongs to Kesedar,” he said.

Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, said this to the media in Jeram Tekoh, Gua Musang, today.

Zahid also accused Nassuruddin of attempts to mislead the settlers as part of Perikatan Nasional’s by-election campaign.

Previously, Nassuruddin claimed that only the state government could resolve the issue of issuing land grants to Kesedar settlers.

‘Faraid’ system

Zahid further said today that land under Kesedar will be distributed to settlers using the “faraid system” or Islamic law on inheritance which states that fixed portions will be divided among heirs.

This is compared to the previous system where the land was only given to the eldest son after the death of the settler.

The approach was done to avoid any problems that arise, Zahid explained.

"In terms of land ownership, we don't want to repeat the past mistake where the sole heir is the eldest child.

"We are doing this because we do not want to cause any problems in the family, especially those who have more than one child," added Zahid.

Zahid also took a swipe at PN by-election operations director Annuar Musa who during a ceramah last night had proposed for the state government to return Kesedar’s land to settlers.

"I don’t want to touch on any personality, but if the person was a former rural development minister, the problem (land ownership) should have been resolved when he was minister.

“Why did he raise the issue only now in Nenggiri when it existed during his time?” said Zahid.

Annuar, now a PAS member, helmed the then Rural Development Ministry between 1993 and 1999.

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