Satellite technology speeds process to measure land in hilly terrains

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THE Pahang government has promised to grant land titles to Cameron Highlands farmers holding Temporary Occupation Licenses (TOL) by the end of January.

The move is expected to see about 2,000 farmers obtaining rights to the land they have been toiling on for years following steps taken by the relevant authorities to simplify the application process for land titles.

State executive councillor Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said the state had to date, approved the applications of about 1,300 farmers.

High tech process: Remote sensing through satellite will expedite the measuring of mountainous lands in Cameron Highlands.

“Another 700 applications are still being processed by the Pahang Land and Mines Department.

“After that, they will be handed over to the Cameron Highlands District Land Unit for final verification,” he said during the Cameron Highlands MCA division 62nd anniversary dinner last week.

In an effort to resolve the backlog of land applications in the state, Hoh said the land office had adopted the use of satellite technology some six months ago.

This, he said, was to accelerate the process of measuring land in mountainous regions, which was otherwise a tedious task due to the physical limitations of human beings.

“The remote sensing will speed up the identification of vast tracts of legal and illegal land, government reserve land and forest reserves.

“After that, just another three months is needed to complete the land surveying process of the entire Cameron Highlands,” he said.

Meanwhile, squatters in new villages, who fulfil the criteria set by the state, could also look forward to getting titles to the land they were squatting on, he said.

“Those whose houses are not built on road and river reserves or land reserved for the building of high-tension cables and have been staying there for at least three years will be given 99-year leases,” Hoh said.

He said 66 households in new villages in Cameron Highlands, namely, Ringlet, Bertam Valley, Kea Farm, Kuala Terla, Tringkap and Kampung Raja, were qualified to receive the land titles.

The list, he added, was being finalised by the land office.

Division chief Datuk Yee Shan Kon said the party had continued serving the people despite losing the Tanah Rata state seat in the last general election.

“In the last three years, MCA had successfully obtained RM37.58mil to upgrade facilities in new villages throughout Cameron Highlands,” he said.