KEDAH LOSES RM100 MLN ANNUALLY DUE TO UNDEVELOPED AGRICULTURE LAND - SANUSI

YAN, May 5 (Bernama) -- The Kedah state government losses about RM100 million annually because of land under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) that could be developed for housing, commercial and industrial purposes, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said.

He added that around 10,000 hectares of MADA land have been included under the district local plan for housing development, while 400 hectares were for industrial use and several hectares for commercial.

"So if we follow the district local plans we will get more revenue, land taxes, property assessment, water charges, now water flows into fields for free, if water goes to houses or factories we can charge, that’s the revenue we lose to retain rice fields.

"We lose what’s in the plans only, realistically we lose RM100 million annually, in the next five to 10 years the state government estimates this size will increase, so we have requested the federal government to look into the matter,” he said in a media conference after officiating the rebranding of the Sala Mango Technology Centre near here.

He was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement yesterday stating that the Federal Government agreed in principle that the status of land in MADA areas be changed to industrial and commercial development.

Muhammad Sanusi said even though the land was still actively producing rice there was high demand for it to be developed for other purposes and that the state government lost more revenue retaining the area for rice planting and sought fiscal aid from the Federal Government over the loss of revenue.

"The area has been developed at a very high cost to build bunds, and other things for rice irrigation. This is to be considered by the Federal (Government), I hope it will be approved.

"It’s not the prime minister who approved the change in land, the land can’t plant rice, no. This thing will be studied by the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, I hope the fiscal application is considered,” he said.

-- BERNAMA