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Johor Land Office urged to meet Orang Asli over compensation
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The Johor Bahru High Court today encouraged the state Lands and Mines Office to engage in discussions with the Seletar Orang Asli of Kuala Masai over compensation due to the wrongful acquisition of their land in Stulang Laut.

Lawyer Tan Poh Lai, representing all 51 members of the tribe in the nine-year-old case, told reporters today that judge See Mee Chun encouraged the state Lands and Mines Office to engage in at least one discussion with the plaintiff before the next mention of case management, which has been set for Aug 5.

Tan said the plaintiffs had filed a mandamus application on June 3 for the purposes for settling the matter of land compensation, in connection with the High Court decision on Sept 22, 2010 in their favour.

The Johor Lands and Mines Office was represented by lawyer Suhana Sabian.

Tan said since the filing on June 3, no representative of the state government or the office had contacted the plaintiffs to conduct discussions.

"I hope and appeal to the respondent to have discussions with the plaintiffs so that this matter can be settled out of court," she said.

Prior to this, the plaintiffs led by Kelah Lah and Khalip Bachik, had been successful in their 2008 suit against the Lands and Mines Office director, Johor Baru City Council and the Orang Asli Affairs Department director-general.

In the September 2010 High Court decision, plaintiffs were ordered to be compensated in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1960 as a result of the wrongful acquisition of their land.

The assessment of damages was ordered to be undertaken by the Johor Bahru Land Administrator.

- Bernama

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