Bukit Malut Issues Must Be Resolved Without Political Bargaining, Says Kedah Menteri Besar

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor asserted that the long-standing issues of settlement and welfare for Bukit Malut residents in Langkawi must be addressed comprehensively, rejecting the notion that political support should be a prerequisite for their resolution. He stressed that residents holding MyKads are entitled to their political choices, and their right to housing and land grants should not be contingent on electoral outcomes.

"The problem of the Bukit Malut people is that politicians do not want to solve it unless they get their votes; that is not the right way," Sanusi stated. "We must solve it all at once, build houses, and they will be free. They can work and live there. Who they vote for is their business."

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The problem of the Bukit Malut people is that politicians do not want to solve it unless they get their votes; that is not the right way. We must solve it all at once, build houses, and they will be free. They can work and live there. Who they vote for is their business.

He criticized the approach of using these issues as leverage for political support, which he argued perpetuates the problems across generations. Sanusi highlighted that 92.2% of the 5,500 residents possess MyKads and are recognized as Malay Muslims of Kedah (MIK). The state government is prepared to construct around 1,400 well-planned houses, provided the Federal Government, through the National Security Council (MKN), resolves the land acquisition issues with the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM). Residents have expressed willingness to purchase these homes, provided they are affordable, ideally around RM200,000 or less.

Sanusi noted that the current settlement area is overcrowded, leading to difficulties in resolving issues like sanitation, water, and electricity supply due to the land's unclear status. Addressing these problems is crucial to prevent speculation and dispel claims that the area is a settlement for foreign immigrants. He also mentioned that the redevelopment of land owned by Permodalan Kedah Berhad (PKB) in Bukit Malut is stalled because only a small portion has been cleared, and relocating existing residents would be a humanitarian concern.

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They are willing to buy, they have money, they say we are willing to buy if there are suitable houses. If the price is RM1 million, they cannot afford it. So, MKN can acquire the land and the state government's subsidiary can develop houses for sale, and the Bukit Malut settlement problem can be solved.