Payment for highway expropriation

Owners of parcels of land that will be expropriated by the government due to the construction of the new Tutong-Lumut dual-carriage highway will be compensated and offered a piece of land in exchange, said the infrastructure development manager of the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).

During a briefing held by BEDB in Tutong yesterday, Abdurahman Abdul Aziz said the majority of the land to be used for the construction of the new highway belongs to the Brunei Government and will not directly affect the residents in the area.

"With regard to privately-owned land, there are several individual plots that will directly be affected by the project and we have been informed by the Development Ministry that they have notified the affected parties regarding the expropriation of their land by the government, involving the exchange of land in compensation," the manager said.

Responding to questions posed earlier by Orang Kaya Jaya Putera Dato Paduka Hj Md Taha Abdul Rauf, a State Legislative Council (LegCo) member, Abdurahman said the processes and procedures for the compensation were being handled by the Development Ministry.

Abdurahman added that BEDB has been working closely with the Forestry Department to ensure the project would not jeopardise the high amount of the natural resources available in the area, particularly forestry resources, of which some plant species are endemic to Brunei. "We take high priority to ensure that these areas will not be affected," he said.

Work on the highway officially began on February 16 this year and is slated for completion in February 2013.

A consortium comprising Bruneian firm Surati Construction and a Chinese state-owned construction company Xing-An-Ji Engineering has been appointed to carry out the $138.7-million project.

The Brunei Times