Kedah gov't losing revenue over misuse of category of land use

ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government requires owners of agricultural land misused for other purposes to obtain a temporary permit pending application for conversion of the category of land use, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said on Wednesday, Sept 14.

He said 76 such temporary permits had been issued up to last month since the requirement was gazetted on March 31 this year.

Azizan said the misuse of agricultural land had been going on for a long time and the state government was losing much revenue as a result.

"Under the National Land Code, not more than one-fifth of the total agricultural land area or two hectares, whichever is smaller, can be used to erect a building," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the state executive council, here.

The menteri besar said much of the misuse of agricultural land occurred around Alor Setar and up to Simpang Empat where factories had been put up on the land.

He also said that the fee for the annual temporary renewable permit only covered the portion of land misused and not for the whole land.

Azizan said the land offices were enforcing the permit requirement and advised land owners to abide by it to avoid prosecution. — Bernama