Govt to amend hereditary land law

PETALING JAYA (March 22): The government has proposed to amend the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955 (Act 98) to enable the distribution of hereditary land without inheritance agreements, instead allowing the land administrator to decide according to the “majority rule” method, reported Bernama.

The proposed amendment would allow the land administrator to sell the disputed land and divide the proceeds to each heir, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Hamim Samuri told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

“This means an heir will not have the land physically, but instead have the rights replaced in the form of money.

“The government is hoping that the proposed amendment will help heirs and the government to resolve the people’s issues arising at this time,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address for his ministry.

However, the proposal is still in the initial stages and the ministry was obtaining the views of all stakeholders, he said.

In response to a supplementary question from Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Bharu) on whether the government would establish a corporation to buy hereditary land, Hamim said it was under consideration.

“What is important is that the right of every heir must be protected. The solution to a contested property can be immediately made,” he said.