JUDGMENT

Lee Swee Seng FCJ:

[1] This is a land acquisition matter, which, through the default of the parties, has dragged on for close to 70 years. The problem started in 1956, long before most of us were born. The parties had agreed on the subject land of about 250 acres in the Mukim of Batu to be acquired by the Selangor State for a public purpose, but could not agree on the compensation sum. The Government then paid what the Collector of Land Revenue awarded, based on RM5,282.00 per acre, but the owner, Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd ("Semantan Estate"), wanted RM13,000.00 per acre.

[2] In the meantime, Semantan Estate accepted the sum of RM1,320,500.00 paid by the Government on 21 December 1956 and another RM79,241.01 on 3 February 1959 without prejudice to its claiming for what it said is the fair compensation. The additional compensation was based on an additional area after resurvey, making the total of 263.272 acres, where the subject land is concerned.