KUCHING, May 18: Sarawak’s Land Code was amended today following the passing of a Bill by the State Assembly, which changed the definition of “land” under the Code to empower the State Government to control the airspace and properties above the surface of the land.
The amendment also allows the State Government to regulate the use of land, onshore and offshore, as well as on the sea bed which forms the continental shelf of Sarawak for the management and storage of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.
“The new definition of the term “land” (in the Land Code) is aligned with that found in other Malaysian legislation like the National Land Code,” said State Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, Malaysia Agreement 1963 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
When tabling the bill, she said the new definition would make the airspace column above the land part of the land, while the state’s control of the airspace includes any matters including spectrum.
“This amendment enables the State Government to ensure that spectrum in the airspace of land in the State would be regulated and used in accordance to plans to improve telecommunications infrastructure to support economic transformation under the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030,” she said.
Sharifah Hasidah said the amendments to the use of land for carbon dioxide storage and management would make Sarawak the first state in Malaysia to require industries to comply with international requirements to reduce carbon.
She said the Sarawak State Planning Authority (SPA) would be empowered to approve and issue licences for sites to be used for carbon storage, which could be onshore or offshore Sarawak in the continental shelf within the state’s boundary.
“With this law in place, foreign investors would find Sarawak a good investment destination that provides well-regulated facilities or sites for them to comply with international laws on carbon dioxide emission reduction,” she added.
Meanwhile, the state assembly today elected Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim as a Senator to succeed Datuk Zaeidy Suhaili whose term as a member of Dewan Negara ends on July 18 this year.
The state assembly sitting resumes tomorrow. – TVS
