A REVIEW ON THE DISPOSAL OF UNDERGROUND LAND IN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1145015Keywords:
Land Administration, Land Disposal, Land Law, Land Use, Underground LandAbstract
Underground land development is an alternative for maximising land use for sustainable urban growth in most countries, Malaysia included. In Malaysia, the National Land Code Act 828 (NLC Act 828) was amended to incorporate provisions governing the disposal of underground land under Part Five (A) of the Code, with further support provided through the Circular of the Director General of Lands and Mines No. 1/2008. However, while statutory provisions recognise underground land disposal, legal challenges remain, and the growing demand for underground development may be hindered if these developing concerns remain unresolved. Accordingly, this article seeks to analyse the legal framework regulating the disposal of underground land as well as address the legal challenges associated with its implementation. Through thematic analysis of Malaysian land law, circulars and literature from previous studies, three interconnected aspects were identified, namely depth, surface-subsurface rights, and tenure security. The findings indicate that although Malaysian land law provides a statutory mechanism for underground land disposal, legal and administrative challenges remain in its implementation. Hence, the existing framework could be further strengthened to provide greater legal certainty and facilitate the effective underground land disposal.
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