Malay reserve land rose by 0.77pc last year, Environment Minister Nik Nazmi tells Dewan Negara

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad today said the Malay reserve land increased by 38,622.95 hectares last year, a rise of 0.77 per cent from 5,001,813.75 hectares in 2021.

The Setiawangsa MP also said that data available since 1947 showed that there has been an increase of 1,920,906.25 hectares, or 106.45 per cent of the land from that time.

“The earliest data on the size of the Malay reserved land was 2,422,720 hectares in 1947 and this shows that there was an increase of 1,920,906.25 hectares or 106.45 per cent compared to 5,001,813.75 hectares in 2022

“In short, the area of the Malay reserve land in the relevant states has shown a one-off increase in 2022 compared to 1947,” he said when winding up his debate at the Dewan Negara’s special session on the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-term Review here.

Nik Nazmi was replying to Senator Datuk Seri Awang Sariyan, who asked the government to explain the latest percentage of the Malay reserve land and plans and actions for ensuring that the land is preserved.

He said the gazetting of the replenishment of land is under the jurisdiction of the respective state authorities.

“The area of the Malay reserve land is covered in Clause III of Article 89 of the Federal Constitution where in the event of the cancellation of the Malay Reserve Land area, the state authority must replace the area with other lands.

“The Federal Government through the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change through the Department of the Director General of Lands and Mines only monitors the overall data of the land which has been gazetted by the state authority,” Nik Nazmi added.

In March this year, Nik Nazmi had told Dewan Rakyat that there is no need for the government to table a White Paper on Malay reserve land as its area has not seen any shrinking.

Nik Nazmi said then that the government has two approaches to overcome the issue of preserving the Malay reserve land: a straight replacement, or a replacement measured in terms of strategic value.