‘More options, consideration for Jln Kecil residents’

Rachel Thien
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN


THE Legislative Council (LegCo) representative of Belait District Zone 1 yesterday said the Land Department needs to provide “ample options” and more consideration to the 20 residents around Jln Kecil Sg Liang who will have to give up their homes and land to make way for Sungai Liang Industrial Park’s (SPARK) expansion.

Yang Berhormat Hj Mohd Shafiee Ahmad said the Land Department as the authority in charge, needs to be more considerate towards the residents.

“There should be more discussions and consultation. I would like to see a win-win situation,” he said via a telephone interview.

“We do not want to burden the government and the residents. What happens if the residents are suffering? Our government then has to shoulder the problem,” he said.

The LegCo member said several of the land and home owners in Jln Kecil approached him about the dilemma, and he advised them to attend all functions relating to the issue for further discussions.

“I told them not to blindly accept what the Land Department offers. They must discuss this properly,” he said.

In a report on June 19, residents in the area felt that monetary compensation set in letters issued by the Land Department in May was “insufficient” for residents to rebuild or purchase houses or land of similar size elsewhere.

The home owners at Jln Kecil said they were not opposed to SPARK’s expansion, and that their issue was the compensation offered and the lack of options for resettlement.

According to the same report, some residents are still repaying existing loans for the construction of their houses.

Letters by the Land Department to the residents, dated early May, called for them to meet with the department’s officers at the Community Hall of Sengkurong in the first week of June to hand over their land grants.

The letter reminded residents that those who fail to do so during the meeting are liable to a $250 fine.

It added those disagreeing with the compensation offered have the right to write to the Land Office for the matter to be referred to court.


Sumber - The Brunei Times