State offers to help landowners

LANDOWNERS who are not happy with the quantum of compensation for their land acquired by the government to make way for the Sungai Muda flood mitigation project are advised to file their complaints to the state government.

Penang Agriculture and Ago-based Industry, Rural Development and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Law Choo Kiang said the owners should approach the state instead of arguing over the quantum with government officers who only carried out their duties.

“We are willing to assist the villagers if they face any problems,” he said after attending a dialogue with Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen and secretaries and village headmen in Pinang Tunggal recently.

Present at the dialogue were State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) senior engineer Teoh Boon Pin, North Seberang Prai district officer Mokhtar Mohd Jait and Land and Mines department director Yahaya Che Will.

The participants were briefed on the latest development of the second phase of the flood mitigation project.

Teoh, in his briefing, said DID gave a good offer where each land owner would be given a piece of land with basic infrastructure while those who occupied reserve land would be given RM10,000 each.

He said the second phase of the project involved the widening and deepening of Sungai Muda covering about 40km, stretching from the river mouth in Penaga to the Merdeka Bridge in Bumbung Lima and from there on to the Sidam Bridge in Kedah.

The project, among others, will see the construction of river bunds, water gates and pump houses at a cost of about RM738mil and expected to be completed in 2012.

Filed Under: Opinion