By William Isau
SIBU, March 10: Seventy-four landowners in Mapai/Tada, Kanowit today received compensation totalling RM1.6 million for their land which was affected by the implementation of the proposed Baleh-Mapai 500kV overhead transmission line project for Sibu and Kapit.
The ceremony also saw 56 native customary rights (NCR) landowners receiving land titles under Section 6 of the State Land Code.
This involved land in Ulu Sungai Poi, Kanowit (3,286ha), Sungai Betawi, Lintang/ Sungai Sebangkat, Kanowit (250ha), Sungai Poi, Kanowit (61ha), Sungai Poi Hilir, Kanowit (718ha), and Sepiring, Ulu Balingian (2,177ha).
Deputy Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the proposed Baleh-Mapai 500kV overhead transmission line project would contribute to the development of the State.
His text-of-speech was read out by Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, Datu Len Talif Salleh.
“This is in line with the capacity expansion of power generation systems due to the extensive demand from
energy intensive industries in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score),” Awang Tengah said.
He said the project was timely as it also enabled the transfer of electrical power from Baleh HEP to the State grid system to meet the growing energy demand from the development of Score.
“In fact, the impact of this project also encourages local economic opportunities and development through job creation, direct and indirect spending and improving local energy transmission infrastructure (improving grid stability and improving grid reliability),” said Awang Tengah.
The State government, he said, in its quest to implement various infrastructure development projects, would need to acquire people’s land but would pay out compensation under Section 18 of the State Land Code and Regulation 13 of the Federal Constitution.
“All land taken back will be compensated for based on the valuation done by the Land and Survey Department, Sarawak. The amount of compensation is based on the number of crops, building structures which sit on it and the size of the land based on the current value,” he said. — DayakDaily
