KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Mac — The gazetted area of the Malay Reserve Land in the peninsula increased by 0.67 per cent from 4,963,190.8 hectares in 2021 to 4,996,406.42 hectares in 2022, the Parliament was told today.
Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the size of the land was recorded based on the data collected from the local authorities in states in the peninsula.
"Overall, every state in the peninsula recorded an increase in the size of the Malay Reserve Land gazetted, except for Kedah, Kuala Lumpur and Perak," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Maran MP Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib who wanted to know the original size of Malay Reserve Land in states where the area is decreasing and the government’s plan to overcome the problem.
According to Nik Nazmi, the total area of Malay Reserve Land in Kedah between 2021 and 2022, decreased from 721,888.93 hectares to 716,537.28 hectares, Kuala Lumpur (1,003.56 hectares to 999.48 hectares) and Perak from 953,042.67 hectares to 953,040.87 hectares.
He said there was no need for the ministry to prepare a White Paper on the issue of Malay Reserve Land since its area has not decreased and there is no loss.
Malay Reserve land that has been utilised has to be replaced in accordance with the provision in Article 89 of the Federal Constitution which protects Malay reserve land, he added.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Ismail who wanted to know if the ministry planned to prepare a White Paper on Malay Reserve Land.
— Bernama
