Kuala Sepetang - Port Weld

94ha released to Perak
Source: the star 28 Jan 2010

PUTRAJAYA: Railway land from Taiping to Kuala Sepetang – where the country’s first railway tracks were – has been released to the Perak Government to allow it be converted for residential use.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the 94.5ha of railway land, where 643 squatter families are residing, would be released to the state government for RM38mil.

The land belonged to the Railway Asset Corporation, a body under the Transport Ministry.

The act of issuing individual land titles and charging premiums on the squatters would fall under the jurisdiction of the state.

By alienating the land, Ong said the Barisan Nasional government had fulfilled its promises made to Taiping residents during the Bukit Gantang by-election in April last year.

“The decision was made in view that the land had not been used for railway operations since 1941, and there are 643 squatter families on that site.

“There were also 131 units of empty buildings and 12 places of worship,” he said.

Ong said by releasing the land, the state could help alleviate its housing problems as well as develop and preserve a historical site.

Kuala Sepetang, once known as Port Weld, was a thriving import-export centre which opened in 1877. The railroad was opened in 1885.

“The land is strictly for railway use. We have to alienate the land first to the state government. Then only can the state government do the needful to help the squatter families living on the land,” he said.

He added that the release of the railway reserve is in line with Item 3, Article 85 of the Federal Constitution.

“We have walked the talk. People have been yearning for this for a few decades. During my walkabout there, I was told the issue proper was older than me and we were determined to get it resolved,” said Ong.

On the protracted time frame taken to release the land, Ong said they had to conduct a census of families residing on the land before attempting a land swap with the state government.

“The land had to be at least of equivalent value. When we could not proceed with the land swap, we resorted to this formula, that is the state government is prepared to pay Railway Asset Corporation,” he said.

On whether the residents would receive individual land titles, Ong said: “That I will leave it to the state government. It is in their jurisdiction.”


Zambry: Squatter families on railway land will get titles
Source: the star 29 January 2010

IPOH: Squatter families in Kuala Sepetang, Taiping, will be given individual titles when the necessary processes are completed including de-gazetting the land from railway to residential use, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said.

“The state has no qualms about giving the people the titles,” he said yesterday, adding that the Perak Economic Planning Unit (EPU) would look into the issue of de-gazetting.

Speaking to reporters after opening a new hall for residents of the Ashby Flats at Jalan Hospital here, Dr Zambry said the next step is to plot out the number of houses there and to look into the area’s infrastructure needs.

Asked how soon the people would get their titles, Dr Zambry said it would depend on how long the process of acquiring the land takes.

“It will definitely take some time but the important thing is they need not worry about the land where their houses are located anymore,” he said.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had announced on Wednesday that the railway land – where the country’s first railway tracks were built – had been released to the Perak Government.

Ong was reported to have said that the 94.5ha land, where 643 squatter families are residing, would be released to the state government for RM38mil.

The land belonged to the Railway Asset Corporation, a body under the Transport Ministry.
Kuala Sepetang, once known as Port Weld, was a thriving import-export centre. The railroad was opened in 1885.