IPOH, Dec 8 — The state government will receive more land premium revenue when new villages in Perak are given permanent ownership status.

Dewan Rakyat deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming said the income could be used to develop the state to benefit all the communities in Perak.

“This is what is feared by the opposition because the effort to develop the state (which is being done by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government will result in the opposition losing the 15th General Election later.

“As such, they are willing to make numerous illogical accusations and slanders by scaring the Malay community into believing that the other races wanted to take away Malay land,” he said when met by reporters at a Christmas celebration organised by the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI) here today.

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Nga, who is also Perak DAP chief, said actually it was not a demand but was a consensus and promise of PH which were made when the Menteri Besar launched the manifesto in March last year.

“I stress that the permanent ownership is for existing houses and own kampung houses. Don’t forget that when the policy is implemented, the lots in Kampung Tersusun (settlement schemes) will be the most to  receive permanent ownership status as most comprise Malay residents,” he said.

He said the Perak government had given permanent ownership status to Kampung Baru in Gerik and Kampung Merbau in Manjung in 2008 but they did not cause any issue.

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He said the matter would be discussed in more details with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to solve any issue.

On October 3, Ahmad Faizal was reported to have said that the issue on the giving of 999 years land ownerships to the new villages in Perak was still at the discussion stage.

On August 13, Ahmad Faizal, when winding up the debate on the royal address in the State Assembly, said the state government could not give a 999 years ownership status or permanent ownership to any new villages because it contravened the Federal Constitution.

He said the National Land Council (MTN) meeting on April 25, 1997 stipulated the period of lease for the new villages must be at least 60 years but not exceeding 99 years.

In another development, Nga reminded Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) against raising its fees which would bring difficulties to its students.

“TAR UC should not try to raise its fees which will bring difficulties to the students because there is no basis to do so.

“We have inspected its accounts and it has RM634 million which is not used to develop the university and (look after) the welfare of the students but kept in the banks to earn deposit interests,” he said.

He said the money was now managed by three parties, namely, alumni, student union and the Ministry of Finance to safeguard the welfare of the 28,000 students.

On November 23, the Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng explained that RM30 million allocation in the trust fund handled by the Tunku Abdul Rahman Alumni Association (TAA) was for the benefit of TAR UC and the students of the educational institution. — Bernama