Tawaran pampasan Duta Enclave masih kekal, kata peguam kerajaan

Putrajaya has proposed a payment offer to Semantan Estate for the 106-hectare Duta Enclave land, which currently houses several government buildings, in an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute over land compensation. The offer, presented on August 14, aims to end the lengthy conflict regarding the compensation for the 106-hectare land known as Duta Enclave.

However, the specific terms and value of the offer remain undisclosed. Semantan Estate requested a delay in the proceedings to consider the government's offer, but the request was denied by Judge Roslan Mat Nor. The offer was made while the High Court was determining the amount of compensation to be paid to Semantan Estate, following a Supreme Court ruling last year that the company was entitled to compensation based on the land's value when it was taken over in 1956.

The court also ordered the determination of "mesne profits," or compensation to the rightful owners for losing the right to use the land or the associated buildings. The disputed land, located along Tuanku Abdul Halim Road (formerly known as Duta Road), now houses several government buildings, including the National Stadium, National Archives, Kuala Lumpur Sharia Court, Land Development Authority, and Malaysia Integrity Commission.

The dispute began in 2003 when Semantan Estate sued the government, claiming that the land had been illegally taken over. The High Court subsequently ruled that Semantan Estate was not entitled to regain the land due to various government amenities and infrastructure being built on it. The Federal Court subsequently dismissed Semantan Estate's application for leave to appeal, allowing the process to continue determining the compensation amount at the Federal Court.

The hearing of the only witness for Semantan Estate, property valuer Foo Gee Jen, was questioned by Nurhafizza and another Senior Government Lawyer, Azza Azmi, regarding her valuation of the assets based on their value in 1956. The government lawyer contested Foo's valuation report, particularly the use of a comparison property when it comes to the estate at that time and the adjacent shophouses in Bukit Tunku.

Attorney Ira Biswas represented Semantan Estate. The Federal Court has fixed September 1 for the continuation of hearings.