SHAH ALAM, June 10 — A proposal to establish a land bank to develop public facilities is a strategic measure to ensure the availability of suitable sites and meet future social and infrastructure needs.
Constitutional expert Datuk Wan Ahmad Fauzi Wan Hussain said the initiative could help governments plan local development more systematically, avoid purchasing land at inflated prices, and ensure that the public continues to benefit from essential facilities over the long term.
“The government could establish land wakaf, implement voluntary land swaps based on flexible current market values, and utilise cash wakaf contributions to acquire suitable land locations.
“In addition, new policies relating to housing development projects could also be considered. I believe there may be land that has reverted to the Baitulmal or the public trustee, whose owners have passed away without heirs.
“Investigations should be carried out to identify various solutions for the benefit of the people. There may also be wakaf land that could be leased for public facility purposes,” he told Media Selangor.
Fauzi was commenting on the proposed construction of the Petaling Jaya Hospital, which has faced challenges due to the limited availability of suitable, strategic sites in the densely populated district.
He added that the provision and financing of public facilities are the sole responsibility of the Federal government, while state governments are responsible for providing land and community facilities.
As such, there is no overlap of authority. Instead, responsibilities and jurisdictions are distributed to create a strong Federal system that safeguards the interests of the states.
“Since land is a state matter and its administration falls under state jurisdiction, coordination between Federal and state governments is essential in the planning, implementation, and completion of public projects, in keeping with the spirit of federalism.
“Such coordination must take place because both the Federal and state governments have their respective powers and responsibilities, consistent with the characteristics of a federal system,” he said.
The proposal to build the hospital previously sparked debate on social media, with many netizens expressing concern over the lack of a public hospital in a densely populated urban area.
In response, on May 27, the Health Ministry (MOH) announced that the six-hectare X Park PJ South sports complex site in Taman Medan has been identified as the proposed location for the new hospital.
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari welcomed the proposal, noting that the hospital would be built using a vertical design concept and would be capable of accommodating up to 500 beds.
For the record, a similar vertical hospital concept has already been implemented at Ampang Hospital, enabling healthcare facilities to be developed without requiring extensive land area while optimising operational costs for the MOH.
