BSR 656

Lecture 1

LAND LAW
INTRODUCTION

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 CONTENTS

1) Learning outcomes
2) Introduction
3) Stages in land development
4) Introduction to the subject
5) Introduction to land development legislations
6) Introduction to land law
7) Introduction to Land Administration
8) Introduction to Torrens System
9) National Land Code 1965
10) Definition of land
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 Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lectures students should acquire

these abilities:

1) To explain briefly the laws relating to land development in

Malaysia
2) To discuss the basic features of the Torrens System and
the National Land Code 1965

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 Introduction

Construction cannot be separated from “land”.

Construction is synonymous with land development.
Any land development project is subject to various land
related laws and regulations.
The land development in Malaysia is highly regulated
by legislations administered by the relevant authorities.
Anyone that involves in land development projects
must have some amount of knowledge of the relevant
legislations and the authorities .

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 Stages In Land Development

1) Land acquisition (purchase of land)

2) Feasibility study (report)
3) Development Proposal Report
a) Town Planner
b) Planning Division of Local Authority
c) Format – description and illustration
4) Planning Permission
a) Town Planner
b) Planning Division of Local Authority
c) Format – description and illustration

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 Stages In Land Development

5) Pre-Computation Plan
a) Land Surveyor
b) Survey and Mapping Department
c) Format – Layout Plan showing (i) Levels (ii)
boundaries (iii) contours (iv) existing features
5) Development Order
a) Architect
b) Sketches and drawings
b) Local Authority (Planning, Building, Landscape,
Health Divisions)

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 Stages In Land Development

6) Building Plan Approval

a) Architect/Engineer
b) Plans and drawings
c) Building Control Division of Local Authority
7) Commencement of Work Permit
a) Apply by Architect/Engineer
b) Building Control Division of Local Authority
8) Certificate of Fitness for Occupation
a) Apply by Architect
b) Building Control Division of Local Authority

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 Administrative Organisations

Federal Government

Ministry of Housing & Local Government

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

National Land Council (Federal Constitution –
Article 91)

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 Administrative Organisations

State Governments
State Executive Council – Chairman - MB
Land & Mine Office – Director of Land & Mine

Registry Office – Registrar

Land Office – Land Administrator

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 Street
Drainage & UBBL OTHERS
Landlord & Building
Tenant
Federal
Local Constitution
Government
GOVERNING
Land
LAWS
Conveyancing Law

Planning
Strata Law
Title

Housing
Group Malay Land Developers
Settlement Reservation Acquisition

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 Sewerage
Antiquity

Water
Supply Forest
Reserve
Health & OTHERS
Safety
Mining

CIDB
Environmental
Law
Supply of Fire Land
Electricity Services Conservation

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 Federal Constitution

Article 13 Rights to property

Article 74 Jurisdictions of Federal & State Government
Article 76 Powers of Parliament & State Legislative Councils to
make law
Article 83 Land acquisition for Federal purposes
Article 87 Determination of disputes as to market value of land
acquired
Article 89 Malay Reservation
Article 90 Customary land
Article 90 The National Land Council
Article 92 National Development Plan
Article 95A National Council for Local Government

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 GOVERNING STATUTES
National Land Code 1965
Town & Country Planning Act 1976
Housing Developers (Control & Licensing) Act 1966
Land Acquisition Act 1964
Malay Reservation Enactments/Ordinances
Group Area (Settlements) Act
Strata Title Act 1985
Conveyancing Law (No specific statute)
Local Government Act 1976
Landlord & Tenant (No specific statute)*
Street, Drainage & Building Act 19
Uniform Building By-Law 1980
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 GOVERNING STATUTES
Antiquity Act
Forest Reserved Act
Mining Act
Environmental Quality Act 1974
Land Conservation Act
Fire Services Act 1988
Electricity Supply Act 1990
Construction Industry Development Board Act 1994
Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994
Waters Act (Enactment)1920
Sewerage Services Act 1993

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 Partition Amalgamation

Definition
Subdivision Of
Land

Restraint
Of Torrens
Dealings System
LAND LAW:
an overview

Dealings of land Classification

By Registered of
Proprietor land
Disposal of Categories
land by the Of
State Authority Land use

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 Land Law: an overview
 Definition of Land  Section 5, fixture and chattel

 Torrens System  System of land tenure & administration

 Classification of Land  Town, village, country

 Category of Landuse  Agriculture, building, industry

 Disposal of Land  Alienation, Reservation, Lease, TOL, Permit
 Dealings  Transfer, charge, lien, tenancy, easement
 Restraint Dealings  caveats
 Subdivision  Subdivision of lot into two or more lots
 Partition  Ends co-ownership of land
 Amalgamation  Join one or more lots into a single title

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Introduction

 System of land tenure, land administration and land

transaction by registration
 Sir Robert Torrens
 There was a dispute as to the date it was first applied
under a legal system – Australia or Sabah?
 The British colonials into Malaya in stages by way of
statutes.
 Characteristics of Torrens System (& NLC 1965):

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Early Land Statutes
• General Land Regulations Perak (1879); Selangor
(1882): NS (1887) &,
Pahang (1888)
• Registration of Titles Perak (1897; Selangor
Regulations (1891); NS (1898); Pahang
(1897)
• Land Enactments All four states (1897)

• FMS Land Enactments All four states (1911)

• FMS Registration of Titles All four states (1911)

Enactments

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Characteristics
Torrens System National Land Code 1965

1. All lands vest in the state 1. S. 5 - Definition of ‘State Land’

2. State has power to dispose lands 2. Division II (Part 4 & 5)

3. All transactions by registration 3. Statutory instruments

4. Dealings by registration 4. Division IV

5. Indefeasibility of title 5. Ss. 92, 176(2), 340(1) & (2)

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Characteristics

Torrens System National Land Code 1965

6. No possessory rights without 6. S. 48 - No adverse possession

registration

7. Methods of restraint of dealings 7. Part 19 - Caveats and

Prohibitory Order

8. S. 46 - Reversion to state

9. Rules of equity still apply

10. Non-exclusive system

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title

• Meaning of • Exceptions
• Concept  General exceptions under

 Conditions s. 340 NLC 1965

 Conditions of land use
 Registration
 Syari’ah
• Matters of Registration
 Other statutes


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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title

• Meaning of
• Concept
• Statutory provisions
 Section 89
 Section 92(1)
 Section 340(1)
• Condition
 Registration
 Mohammad Buyong v. PHT Gombak & Ors. [1982] 2 MLJ 53
• Matters for Registration
 Section 340
 Title, lease, charge, easement

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title

• Matters for Registration

 Section 340
 Title, lease, charge, easement
• Exceptions
• Section 340(2)
• Power of correction (ss. 280, 282, 380)
• Power of forfeiture (ss. 130 - 134)
• Power of cancellation (ss. 240, 313)
• Discharge of charge (ss. 279 - 280, 314 - 315)
• Rights of reversion (ss. 46, 49)
• Power of court (s. 417(2)(a) & (b)
• Hassan Bin Seman & Ors. v. Jusoh Bin A. Kechik [1982) 2 MLJ 66

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title

• Exceptions
• Syari’ah
• Harta sepencarian

• Jual-janji

• Adat

• Other Statutes
• Small Estate Distribution Act

• Malay Reservation

• Land Acquisition Act

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title
(Meaning of)

 The person whose name is registered in the

document of title acquires an ‘indefeasibility of
title.’
 It means that the person’s title as the registered
owner of the land cannot be disputed.
 The onus is on the person who disputes the title
of the registered owner by showing that the
registration is obtained by some unlawful or
illegal means.
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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title
(The Concept)

 Ownership is safe and guaranteed

 Article 13 - Federal Constitution.
 Adverse possession not recognised
 section 48 NLC 1965
 Hj. Sidek and 461 Ors. v. Government of Perak
[1982] 1 MLJ 313
 Not absolute
 Sections 340(2)(a)(b)(c).

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title
(Exceptions)

 S. 340(2) (a)(b)(c)
a) fraud or misrepresentation
b) forgery, insufficient or void instrument
c) title or interest unlawfully acquired under any written
law

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 TORRENS SYSTEM
Indefeasibility of Title
(Exceptions)

 S. 340(2) (a)(b)(c)
a) fraud or misrepresentation
b) forgery, insufficient or void instrument
c) title or interest unlawfully acquired under any written
law

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 THANK YOU

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