Chief Secretary Not Ft Minister Had Power In Kg Sg Baru Deal Shahidan

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Former federal territories minister Shahidan Kassim said neither he nor his predecessors had any executive power in approving the takeover of Kampung Sungai Baru land.
Instead, Shahidan said the power rested with the chief secretary to the government.
His remarks in a video published last night came amid brickbats against Perikatan Nasional after it emerged that the gazette to take over the Malay enclave using the Land Acquisition Act was signed in June 2021 - when the coalition was in power.
At the time, Annuar Musa served as the federal territories minister. Shahidan took over the portfolio in August that year.
Talks between a developer and Kampung Sungai Baru residents about a redevelopment began in 2016, with the government later playing a role in negotiating a payout.
Former minister Annuar MusaWhile most residents have taken a deal and moved out, 15 households refused to do so and are resisting eviction. PN has championed the resisting families, playing it as a Malay rights issue.
Power transferred for streamlining
Commenting on the takeover, Shahidan said executive power over land matters in the Federal Territories was handed over to the Prime Minister's Department - which the chief secretary heads - sometime during Umno’s Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's time as minister.
He said this was due to streamlining issues since land matters were not under the sole jurisdiction of just one agency.
Tengku Adnan served as federal territories minister between May 2013 and May 2018.
"So, Khalid Samad (minister during the first Pakatan Harapan government) had no executive power, neither did Annuar nor I," he said.
Shahidan said the Land and Mines Office is also responsible.
Shahidan also threatened to take legal action against those who accused him of signing off on the gazette for the land takeover, noting that it happened two months before he took office.
The Arau MP added that when he was minister, he had done his best to negotiate fair compensation for the residents. - Mkini

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