Malay reserve land in Pahang rises to 12.1%

KUANTAN: Malay Reserve Land area in Pahang has risen from 8.8% (before independence) to 12.1% until Dec 31 last year.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the area covers 436,910.4 hectares of the 3.6 million hectares total land area in the state.

"Thus, the state government has no plans to add more Malay Reserve land," he said in the state assembly, here today.

The state government will replace each cancellation of Malay Reserve land in accordance with Clause 3 of the federal constitution and Item 4 (iii) of the Malay Reserve Enactment.

Adnan was replying to a question from Datuk Mohd Sohaimi Mohamed Shah (BN-Sungai Lembing) who asked whether the government plans to add Malay reserve land and develop traditional Malay villages on the outskirts of towns.

Malay reserve land breakdown by district; Kuantan - 32,000 ha, Pekan (52,000 ha); Rompin (19,000 ha); Maran (61,000 ha); Temerloh (59,000 ha), Jerantut (97,000 ha), Bera (58,000 ha), Raub (13,000 ha); Lipis (57,000 ha); Bentong (5,000 ha) and Cameron Highlands (3,000 ha).

Meanwhile, Housing and Municipal Committee chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the government is committed to providing adequate affordable housing for the people.

The government also implemented the hire-purchase scheme for low-coast public housing projects (PAKR) in Sungai Pandan, Kuantan and the affordable housing project (PPRM) in Leban Chondong, Rompin to help buyers who did not qualify for bank loans.
    
He was replying to a question from Datuk Mustapa Long (BN-Padang Tengku) who asked about government efforts to help those without land and income statement to own homes.

Since 2004 until this year, the state government had implemented 25 PPRM projects with the construction of 3,423 housing units sold at RM30,000-RM35,000.

For next year, the federal government had approved eight PPRM projects involving the construction of 1,400 housing units.

Meanwhile, Basic Facilities and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Soffi Abd Razak said Pahang has 51% Non Revenue Water (NRW).

He said it is among the highest in the country.

"Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (PAIP) has and will implement several strategies to overcome the problem."

"Steps taken include pressure management, water theft, changing faulty meters, urgent repairs, pipe replacement, improve the quality and quantity of meter reading and control tank overflow."

"As a result, the NRW rate has been reduced by five per cent from 56% in 2012," he said replying to a question from Choong Siew Onn (DAP-Tras) on PAIP efforts to address the NRW problem to stabilise and reduce disruption of water supply. – Bernama