KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's award winning electronic land administration system (e-Tanah) will be expanded to over seven states and territories nationwide, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The system will be fully utilised in three years in an effort to modernise real estate facilities in-line with the latest technological development.
This, said the premier, would be done following its success in Kuala Lumpur and Perak where it was developed by a joint effort between the public and private sectors (Kerjasama Awam Swasta (PPP).
"The federal government is now forging ahead to expand the e-Tanah system via PPP collaboration to Putrajaya and Labuan, Selangor, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Kedah, Perlis and Kelantan.
"The e-Tanah system is expected to be fully developed in all states and territories and will be used comprehensively by 2024. I hope the widening of the e-Tanah system will bring positive impact and further increase the nation's productivity in the eyes of the world and attract more foreign investors.
"The digitalisation of inclusive government services across the board is one of our main agendas to ensure the success of Shared Prosperity Vision 2030. The approach is in line with the government's aspirations to provide the best services to all layers of society.
"I understand that the e-Tanah concession agreement for the Putrajaya and Labuan Lands and Mines director's office will be sealed today," said Muhyiddin.
The e-Tanah system was internationally recognised after receiving the Gold Award Public Sector at the Asean ICT Award 2018 in Indonesia.
The country's efforts to develop and transform land administration was also recognised by the World Bank in a Knowledge and Research - The Malaysia Development Experience Series report in 2017 titled Enhancing Public Sector Performance: Malaysia's Experience with Transforming Land Administration which was also shared with other countries.
Malaysia, said Muhyiddin, also secured the 12th spot in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business report in 2020, rising up the ranks from 15th position in 2019.
He said this in his speech at the 5th National Land Day 2021 celebrations themed "Facing Post Covid-19 Challenges in Land Administration" (Mendepani Cabaran Pasca Covid-19 dalam Pentadbiran Tanah) which was held virtually today.
Muhyiddin said he hoped a three-series webinar as part of a conference to mark the celebrations, would also churn new ideas in further enhancing land administration matters and the ideas shared by panellists would be beyond ordinary.
Also present was Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
Muhyiddin said the move to widen the e-Tanah system was the government's commitment to ensure land policies and legislations are looked into and updated in line with the times and the needs of its customers, especially the rakyat.
Through the National Land Council (MTN) meeting, the federal and state governments would discuss matters related to national policies to manage, develop and supervise the use of land at respective levels for mining, agricultural and forestry purposes.
Muhyiddin said he had twice chaired the MTN meeting both physically and virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic, the first during its 77th meeting on Sept 8 last year during the Recovery Movement Control Order and its 78th meeting on Jan 29 this year via video conference.
Muhyiddin said the government's move to modernise land administration services began in 1980 and in 2014, and the government had agreed to implement e-Tanah via the PPP platform which sees the federal and state governments, as well as private companies, working closely.
"It aimed to standardise land administration matters in states based on the existing law enforcement, to cut bureaucracy and to increase transparency and integrity of land matters.
"I believe the e-Tanah system will also contribute to the country's rapid development apart from raising the revenue of state governments, especially," he said.
The pilot e-Tanah system, he said, kicked off at the Kuala Lumpur Lands and Mines director's office in 2017 which saw the improvement and efficiency of quality and land administration.
During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, Muhyiddin said the system had eased land related matters done via online such as payment of taxes, application of ownership transfers and land mortgages as well as private searches.
The system was then implemented in Perak in February this year which had similarly brought success in terms of the state's performance and land administration matters.