Keep promise to extend land title leases!

KOTA KINABALU, June 16, 2011: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is urging the State Barisan Nasional (BN) Government to keep its promise made during the last general election to extend Kolombong land title leases to 99 years from the original 60 years.

Its Treasurer-General, Datuk Wong Yit Ming, said since 2008, the landowners have yet to receive any news about the lease extension from the Government.

Wong, in a statement, claimed that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman made the promise to constituents in Kolombong on February 24, 2008 when campaigning for the 12th general election.

"SAPP was informed that Musa said the Cabinet had agreed to allow the land lease renewal up to 99 years. However, according to some of the landowners, they found out through the offer from Hasil Bumi that the extension was only for 60 years and not 99 as promised," Wong said.

The landowners also complained to SAPP that the premium charged for the lease exten- sion was very high, he said.

According to Wong, the landowners in Kolombong are waiting anxiously for news from the Government about the premium and the years of extension for their title deed.

“This issue has caused a lot of concern for the landowners as most of the title leases in Kolombong area will expire in the next 10 years. Some of the landowners have informed me that most of the banks and financial institutions are refusing to give them loans unless they can extend their title lease," he stressed.

"SAPP, therefore, calls on the State Government to speed up the renewal of Kolombong land titles without any further delay and it must also be fair and reasonable in charging premium for the extension of title deeds up to 99 years as promised by the Chief Minister," he added.