Saifuddin: NSC, Kedah working together to resolve Bukit Malut settlement issue

KULIM: The National Security Council (NSC) has formed a joint committee with the Kedah government to tackle the longstanding issue of the Bukit Malut illegal settlement in Langkawi.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today discussions on the matter have been ongoing, but details and outcomes of the meetings remain undisclosed.

"Bukit Malut is one of the issues discussed within the Home Ministry and the NSC. The matter falls under the jurisdiction of the NSC.

"Last year, I visited the area and held discussions on this matter.

"There is already a committee chaired by the NSC and the Kedah government through the state secretary.

"However, I have yet to disclose the outcomes from those meetings, but the issues surrounding the community there have been reviewed."

He said this after the ministry's Meet the People Programme at SK Karangan.

Saifuddin added that the ministry has conducted background checks on the settlement's residents to devise a solution.

"We have looked into their backgrounds, including their economic status, education levels, occupations and age groups. All this information is part of the data we are examining."

The settlement, home to about 5,000 residents — many of whom identify as Kedah Malay Muslims — has long been a contentious issue due to the ambiguity surrounding the land's legal status.

This uncertainty has led to illegal housing in the area, resulting in a lack of basic infrastructure for residents.

Despite years of discussions about developing Bukit Malut, progress remains elusive.

On Jan 5, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor urged the NSC to expedite a relocation plan for the settlers.

He said the state government has agreed to secure alternative land for the project.