Settlers get 50% discount for Mardi land purchase

KLANG: The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry is offering a 50 per cent discount to 136 settlers of Kampung Sri Nadi, Johan Setia, here, to purchase land covering 48 hectares (118.6 acres) which they have been occupying for more than 40 years.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Noh Omar, said the land, owned by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Merdi) would be offered at a price of about RM22,000 per 0.4 hectare (about 1 acre) to the settlers. The settlers occupy between 0.24 hectares and 0.4 hectares each.

"The discount is offered after taking into account complaints from the residents in Kampung Sri Nadi that the original price of RM45,000 per acre is a burden for them," he told reporters after presenting the sale and purchase
acceptance certificate to 105 of the settlers involved on March 5. He said the residents were the original settlers there.

Noh said Merdi would transfer ownership of the land to the settlers after they have met all the terms which had been agreed upon. He advised the settlers not to be coaxed into selling their land for profit. -- Bernama