Don't act Ignorant over land issues, PAS leadership told

GUA MUSANG, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- PAS leadership has been reminded against being 'ignorant' over land issues in the south of Kelantan and to avoid creating political controversies to gain votes in the Nenggiri state by-election.

South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar) chairman Datuk Zawawi Othman also warned all parties not to use the agency as a campaign tool and make baseless allegations as such actions not only tarnish its image as the area's leading development agency but also affect the people there.

"I need to clarify this because they are attacking us during the by-election period to gain sympathy and tarnish the Federal Government, ultimately targeting Kesedar.

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"They happened to attack us during the election, so we responded during the election period. If they attack us after the election, we will respond after the election. We need to correct this. So, (Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Seri) Takiyuddin (Hassan) don't act ignorant about land issues," he said at a press conference here today.

Zawawi was addressing the allegation that Takiyuddin, who is also PAS secretary-general, made during his political speech, saying that Kesedar was delaying the issuance of land grants to residents that the state government had already approved.

The issue was previously addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying that land under Kesedar, totaling 7,000 hectares, has been divided into lots and is in the process of being distributed and transferred to 2,200 settlers under the Land Development Scheme in phases.

Zawawi said that the land transfer process takes time because it must follow the procedures set by the Kelantan state government, noting that the ownership will soon be handed over to the settlers.

On the Land Rehabilitation Programme (RPT), also under Kesedar, he said settlers must submit their applications at the Land and District Office, with Kesedar only providing endorsement and support.

"Kesedar has never submitted any land ownership applications on behalf of RPT settlers," he said.

Zawawi said they are also working to resolve the issue of distributing house lots to 585 former participants of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) project, which is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The Nenggiri by-election, scheduled for this Saturday, sees a straight fight between Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, representing the Unity Government, and PAS candidate Mohd Rizwadi Ismail, representing Perikatan Nasional.

-- BERNAMA