Sabah minister fuming over snail's pace of land acquisition for health clinics

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah minister has taken the Federal Land Commissioner's office in the state to task over an apparent lack of urgency in acquiring land for critical infrastructure needs like rural clinics.

Sabah Community Development and People's Well-being Minister Datuk said 23 health clinic projects in the state had experienced problems over the years as a result of excessively slow land acquisition.

He cited delays in reconstruction of the gutted Kampung Tangkarason Health Clinic in Beluran as one example.

"The site has not been applied for by the Health Ministry, which needs to do so through the Federal Land Commissioner," he told reporters here on Monday (Feb 19).

ALSO READ: Health clinic for thousands of rural folk in Beluran gutted by fire (https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/15/health-clinic-for-thousands-of-rural-folk-in-beluran-gutted-by-fire)

The clinic and staff quarters were destroyed in an early morning blaze on Thursday (Feb 15).

James said he was at the incident site to assess the steps needed to put up a concrete building in place of the razed wooden structure.

"What is hindering us is that the land has not yet been applied for... according to records from the state Lands and Surveys Department.

"Can you imagine, the clinic has stood here for 30 years but the land has not been (acquired) by the ministry through the Land Commissioner?

"What is the role of the Federal Land Commissioner in Sabah? Are they just taking a salary (without doing) work?" he told the media during his site visit.

He said the same issue was encountered when the Mansiat Health Clinic in the interior Sook district was burned down in June 2022.

Rebuilding of that clinic had also been hindered as the land status had not been gazetted yet, even though the application was made in 1979, he added.

"It was only after a recent meeting, that (land approval was obtained) to build the new Mansiat Health Clinic in Sook," he said.

James also revealed that 23 health clinic projects in Sabah had experienced land status problems for many years.

"Two weeks ago, I had a discussion with the Federal Land Commissioner and the state Lands and Surveys Department over land issues hindering the 23 health clinic projects. The matter was resolved within one day," he said.

However, apart from the land problem, there are also other issues such as water and electricity supply as well technical matters related to local authority and Public Works Department (JKR) requirements for the projects.

James said all directors and heads of relevant departments must be proactive in resolving issues especially with projects like clinics that benefit the people.

"I ask all the directors to instruct their officers to resolve the problems (affecting clinic projects) in this state," he said.