KUANTAN: The Malay reserve land in Pahang currently stands at 444,074ha, 12.34 per cent of the state's total area of 3,597,206ha, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
He said this figure showed an increase from 218,326 hectares in 1955, which was only six per cent of Pahang's total area.
"Therefore, the Malay reserve land has seen an increase from the years before Merdeka and now," he said at the Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang here today.
The Menteri Besar was replying to a question from Mohd Fadzli Mohd Ramly (Appointed Assemblyman) about whether there has been an increase or decrease in Malay reserve land since Merdeka.
Responding to Mohd Fadzli's supplementary question about whether the state government planned to make new areas with leasehold status Malay reserve land, Wan Rosdy said the state government was willing to study the matter.
"It is a good proposal. Indeed, given the state government's past efforts, we will do whatever we can to make it a Malay reserve land, but we will not do it arbitrarily.
"If there is an opportunity and we get advice and views from the (Pahang) Land and Mines office (PTG) and legal advisors, we will convert it into Malay reserve land," said Wan Rosdy.
He explained that the state government's current policy is to increase Malay reserve land by gazetting areas under the "tanah rakyat" scheme. – BERNAMA