PONTIAN: The Johor state government has agreed to provide an 80 per cent discount totaling RM1.6 million for the payment of land premiums involving the relocation of Kampung Sri Tanjung and Kampung Nelayan residents in Benut here.
The matter was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix), in his capacity of Rural and Regional Development Minister, during his speech at the Pontian Umno division Aidilfitri Open House in Benut today.
“I had the chance to ‘whisper to the Johor Menteri Besar from afar’ about the land premium, to provide an 80 per cent discount totaling RM1.6 million. As a gesture of his goodwill, the state government will provide such a discount,” he said in the presence of Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Johor Umno state liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan had earlier mentioned about the request to reduce the land premium, which was also supported by Benut assemblyman Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad.
“In Kampung Parit Makuaseng, there are 170 homes that are affected by the relocation. Datuk Seri Hasni had previously requested that the land premium be reduced by 80 per cent, as the premium is RM2 million, but the villagers don’t have the means to pay it, so if it could be reduced by 80 per cent, the villagers would only have to pay RM400,000.
“The project is under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, so the minister has given another allocation, so we can relocate them immediately,” Ahmad Maslan said.
As Pontian MP, he also requested RM1.5 million in allocations for the construction of a new mosque in Parit Haji Ariff, Benut that had been immediately approved by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Ahmad Zahid also took the time to urge the people to continue supporting the Unity Government to ensure the current political stability as he expressed his confidence that the combination of ministers in the Unity Government and the state government would boost confidence among foreign investors interested in the country.
He also took the opportunity to visit the Kampung Parit Makuasang development project and listened to a briefing from his ministry’s chief assistant secretary Tengku Muhammad Fariza Engku Muhammad Din.
A total of 170 houses were built for the relocation of flood victims and homeless fishermen in Sungai Benut and Sungai Pinggan as well as the hardcore poor around Benut.
The development project – involving the construction of semi-detached houses with basic facilities such as roads, water and electricity supply, and sewage treatment system, and boasting infrastructure including halls, suraus, kindergartens and four units of shops – is built on 30 acres of state-owned land, costing RM41.5 million, with construction starting on May 16, 2017 and ending in August last year. –Bernama