Land Acquisition
119 cases · May 2021 to June 2026
Overview
Land Acquisition appears in 119 reported Malaysia judgments (2021–2026).
In this practice area
Land Acquisition collects the disputes arising from the compulsory acquisition of land by the State under the Land Acquisition Act 1960, distinct from the broader body of registered-title litigation gathered under Land Law. The judgments concern the assessment of compensation, the land-reference procedure, and the rights of the landowner against the acquiring authority.
Compensation is the central subject. Judgments examine the determination of the amount payable for land taken — penentuan jumlah pampasan (the determination of the sum of compensation) — under sections 12, 36, 37 and 49 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960, the assessment of market value by reference to comparable sales under the First Schedule, and the distinction between land used for commercial and for residential purposes. The land-reference procedure, by which a dissatisfied party refers the adequacy of the award to the High Court, recurs throughout, together with the role of assessors in that process.
The collection captures acquisitions for public infrastructure, including highway projects where the acquiring authority is a statutory body such as Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (the Malaysian Highway Authority). Judgments consider issue estoppel and res judicata between successive references, inordinate delay in the acquisition process and its effect on compensation, and the application of the Government Proceedings Act 1956 (Akta Prosiding Kerajaan 1956) to claims involving land references and statutory bodies.
The cases sit predominantly in the High Court hearing land references, with appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court on the principles of valuation and procedure. As a whole the area shows how the Malaysian courts ensure that a landowner deprived of property by compulsory acquisition receives the compensation the statute prescribes — testing the adequacy of the award against the valuation rules while holding the parties to the reference procedure the Act lays down. The concentration of infrastructure and highway acquisitions in the collection reflects the pace of public works and the disputes over value that follow when private land is taken for them.
Case Volume by Year
1 21
2 22
3 23
20 24
74 25
19 26
2021–2026
Key Issues & Sub-Topics
Late payment charges — Sections 32 and 48 Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Early entry by concessionaire — Physical possession prior to gazettement — Mandatory late payment charges under s. 32 — Applicable interest rate — Amendment to Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Compensation for early entry — Rental award — Whether rental award sustainable in law — Injurious affection — Compensation for remaining land — Whether compensation awarded by High Court constitutes “excess” — Applicability of s. 48 — Computation of late payment charges — Date of formal possession. 2 Compulsory acquisition — Challenge to acquisition — Whether acquisition for "public purpose" under Section 3(a) Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Section 3(c) permits acquisition for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes — Gazette declaration under Section 8 conclusive — Sections 68 and 68A bar challenge to award 1 Compensation — Injurious affection — Whether compensable diminution to dwelling established — Whether reduced setback and visible cracking constituted compensable impairment under para 2(d) of First Schedule — Whether claim for balance land diminution proved — Land Acquisition Act 1960, First Schedule paras 1, 2(d) 1 Compensation — Market value — Comparable sales method — Adjustment for Malacca customary land restriction — Whether +20% adjustment constituted proper equivalence adjustment under para 1(2A) of First Schedule — Whether RM390 per square metre justified 1 Compensation — Ancillary structures — Whether award for store and terrace structures inadequate — Whether larger dimensions and higher valuation sufficiently proved 1 Compensation — Burden of proof — Whether appellant established inadequacy of Land Administrator’s award — Scope of court’s role in land reference proceedings 1 Assessors — Role of assessors — Whether assessor reports binding on court — Judicial duty to independently determine compensation — Land Acquisition Act 1960 ss 40A–40D 1 Compensation — Injurious affection — Observable physical impact — Reduced residential amenity — Market perception — Whether engineering evidence necessary before limited award could be made 1 Compensation — Consequential claims — Temporary rental — Moving costs — Reinstatement costs — Whether compensable under para 2(e) of First Schedule where dwelling not acquired 1 Compensation — Costs — Whether claimant disentitled to costs where amount claimed exceeded court award by more than twenty per cent — Land Acquisition Act 1960 s 51(1)(c) 1 Compulsory acquisition — Compensation fund deposited into Court — Determination of competing claims — Meaning of “person interested” — Land Acquisition Act 1960, s 2. Trusts and Equity — Bare trustee — Master title holder — Right of beneficial owners to compensation — Missing historical roots of title — Minor discrepancies in sub-lot measurements — Constructive trust — Unconscionability. Civil Procedure — Standing of deceased plaintiffs — Lack of extracted Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration — Power of court to stay specific disbursements 1 Adequacy of compensation — Loss of business income — Claim for projected future profits arising from compulsory acquisition of petrol station land — Whether projected profits over remaining contractual tenure speculative and remote — Requirement to prove “true loss” with cogent evidence — Principle of equivalence — Whether Land Administrator’s award reasonable — Additional compensation for disposal losses involving fuel stock — Federal Constitution art 13(2); Land Acquisition Act 1960 ss 38(1), 48. EVIDENCE — Expert evidence — Valuation report — Projection of future business profits by land valuer unsupported by audited accounts, market analysis or expert economic evidence — Weight to be attached to speculative projections. 1 Appeal against the compensation awarded by the High Court — Whether the learned High Court Judge had erred in failing to provide the Parties with the written opinions of assessors — Whether Federal Court case of Tegas Sejati Sdn Bhd v Pentadbir Tanah dan Daerah Hulu Langat & Anor followed — Land Acquisition Act 1960, section 40C 1 Compensation — Entitlement — Registered proprietor — Plaintiff was registered proprietor at time of acquisition notice and enquiry — Plaintiff had previously applied for surrender of land — Whether plaintiff remained “person interested” under Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Whether plaintiff entitled to compensation — Land Acquisition Act 1960, s 2 1 building on the scheduled land was demolished in 2012 due to a landslide — the schedule land was already vacant and barren circa 2012 due to demolition and prior to acquisition — the acquisition was gazetted in 2014 — the Land Administrator acquired the scheduled land under section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 [Act 486] for the purpose of repairing and rehabilitating the condition of the hill slope — Projek Memperbaiki Runtuhan Cerun di Jalan Puncak Setiawangsa 2, Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur — Applicant claims compensation for the loss of the subject building (due to landslide) — loss of the building — no injurious affection — Land reference proceeding 1 Compensation — Beneficial owners — Intervention — Bare trustee — Indefeasibility of title — Fraud — Illegality — Setting aside order — Functus officio — Locus standi — Order 15 Rule 6(2) ROC — Section 340 NLC — Section 16 LAA — Article 13 Federal Constitution 1 compensation not paid. Certificate pursuant to section 33 of the Government Proceedings Act 1956 obtained. 1
Late payment charges — Sections 32 and 48 Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Early entry by concessionaire — Physical possession prior to gazettement — Mandatory late payment charges under s. 32 — Applicable interest rate — Amendment to Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Compensation for early entry — Rental award — Whether rental award sustainable in law — Injurious affection — Compensation for remaining land — Whether compensation awarded by High Court constitutes “excess” — Applicability of s. 48 — Computation of late payment charges — Date of formal possession. 2 cases
Compulsory acquisition — Challenge to acquisition — Whether acquisition for "public purpose" under Section 3(a) Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Section 3(c) permits acquisition for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes — Gazette declaration under Section 8 conclusive — Sections 68 and 68A bar challenge to award 1 case
Compensation — Injurious affection — Whether compensable diminution to dwelling established — Whether reduced setback and visible cracking constituted compensable impairment under para 2(d) of First Schedule — Whether claim for balance land diminution proved — Land Acquisition Act 1960, First Schedule paras 1, 2(d) 1 case
Compensation — Market value — Comparable sales method — Adjustment for Malacca customary land restriction — Whether +20% adjustment constituted proper equivalence adjustment under para 1(2A) of First Schedule — Whether RM390 per square metre justified 1 case
Compensation — Ancillary structures — Whether award for store and terrace structures inadequate — Whether larger dimensions and higher valuation sufficiently proved 1 case
Compensation — Burden of proof — Whether appellant established inadequacy of Land Administrator’s award — Scope of court’s role in land reference proceedings 1 case
Assessors — Role of assessors — Whether assessor reports binding on court — Judicial duty to independently determine compensation — Land Acquisition Act 1960 ss 40A–40D 1 case
Compensation — Injurious affection — Observable physical impact — Reduced residential amenity — Market perception — Whether engineering evidence necessary before limited award could be made 1 case
Compensation — Consequential claims — Temporary rental — Moving costs — Reinstatement costs — Whether compensable under para 2(e) of First Schedule where dwelling not acquired 1 case
Compensation — Costs — Whether claimant disentitled to costs where amount claimed exceeded court award by more than twenty per cent — Land Acquisition Act 1960 s 51(1)(c) 1 case
Compulsory acquisition — Compensation fund deposited into Court — Determination of competing claims — Meaning of “person interested” — Land Acquisition Act 1960, s 2. Trusts and Equity — Bare trustee — Master title holder — Right of beneficial owners to compensation — Missing historical roots of title — Minor discrepancies in sub-lot measurements — Constructive trust — Unconscionability. Civil Procedure — Standing of deceased plaintiffs — Lack of extracted Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration — Power of court to stay specific disbursements 1 case
Adequacy of compensation — Loss of business income — Claim for projected future profits arising from compulsory acquisition of petrol station land — Whether projected profits over remaining contractual tenure speculative and remote — Requirement to prove “true loss” with cogent evidence — Principle of equivalence — Whether Land Administrator’s award reasonable — Additional compensation for disposal losses involving fuel stock — Federal Constitution art 13(2); Land Acquisition Act 1960 ss 38(1), 48. EVIDENCE — Expert evidence — Valuation report — Projection of future business profits by land valuer unsupported by audited accounts, market analysis or expert economic evidence — Weight to be attached to speculative projections. 1 case
Appeal against the compensation awarded by the High Court — Whether the learned High Court Judge had erred in failing to provide the Parties with the written opinions of assessors — Whether Federal Court case of Tegas Sejati Sdn Bhd v Pentadbir Tanah dan Daerah Hulu Langat & Anor followed — Land Acquisition Act 1960, section 40C 1 case
Compensation — Entitlement — Registered proprietor — Plaintiff was registered proprietor at time of acquisition notice and enquiry — Plaintiff had previously applied for surrender of land — Whether plaintiff remained “person interested” under Land Acquisition Act 1960 — Whether plaintiff entitled to compensation — Land Acquisition Act 1960, s 2 1 case
building on the scheduled land was demolished in 2012 due to a landslide — the schedule land was already vacant and barren circa 2012 due to demolition and prior to acquisition — the acquisition was gazetted in 2014 — the Land Administrator acquired the scheduled land under section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 [Act 486] for the purpose of repairing and rehabilitating the condition of the hill slope — Projek Memperbaiki Runtuhan Cerun di Jalan Puncak Setiawangsa 2, Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur — Applicant claims compensation for the loss of the subject building (due to landslide) — loss of the building — no injurious affection — Land reference proceeding 1 case
Compensation — Beneficial owners — Intervention — Bare trustee — Indefeasibility of title — Fraud — Illegality — Setting aside order — Functus officio — Locus standi — Order 15 Rule 6(2) ROC — Section 340 NLC — Section 16 LAA — Article 13 Federal Constitution 1 case
compensation not paid. Certificate pursuant to section 33 of the Government Proceedings Act 1956 obtained. 1 case
Key Statutes
Land Acquisition Act 1960
cited in 47 cases Federal Constitution
cited in 30 cases National Land Code (Cap 828)
cited in 20 cases Rules of Court 2012
cited in 14 cases Evidence Act 1950 (Cap 56)
cited in 12 cases National Land Code 1965 (Cap 828)
cited in 7 cases Courts of Judicature Act 1964 (Cap 91)
cited in 4 cases Land Acquisition Act
cited in 4 cases Specific Relief Act 1950 (Cap 137)
cited in 4 cases Government Proceedings Act 1956
cited in 4 cases Land Acquisition Enactment
cited in 3 cases Public Authority Protection Act 1948
cited in 2 cases Government Proceedings Ordinance
cited in 2 cases Crown Proceedings Act
cited in 2 cases Industrial Relations Act 1967 (Cap 177)
cited in 2 cases Court Distribution
Key People & Firms
Top Judges
Shahnaz binti Sulaiman 21 Narkunavathy Sundareson 12 Alice Loke Yee Ching 9 Azimah binti Omar 7 Hasbullah bin Adam 7 Indra Nehru Savandiah 6 Roslan bin Mat Nor 6 Mary Lim Thiam Suan 5 Hasnah binti Dato' Mohammed Hashim 4 Alwi bin Abdul Wahab 4 Lee Swee Seng 4 Wan Ahmad Farid bin Wan Salleh 4 Nallini Pathmanathan 4 Ahmad Fairuz bin Zainol Abidin 3 Ismail bin Brahim 3
Top Firms
Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Selangor 14 Kumar Jaspal Quah & Aishah 13 Kamar Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Selangor 9 Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Pahang 6 Mah Weng Kwai & Associates 5 Chambers of Selangor State Legal Advisor 5 Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Selangor 4 Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Terengganu 4 Sern & Lee 3 Chua & Partners 3 Jabatan Peguam Negara 3 Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang 3 Wong Kian Kheong 2 Tommy Thomas 2 R. Kengadharan & Co. 2
Top Lawyers
Etty Eliany binti Tesno 15 Brenda Chan Qing Wen 8 Chan Zi Yan 8 Steven How 8 S. Shahman 8 Etty Eliany Tesno 5 Nur Syafinaz Hayati Binti Kamarrudin 4 Hasyutantee Binti Khalil 4 Mohd Abdul Hakim Bin Mohd Ali 3 Siti Radziah Binti Kamarudin 3 Nadeem Rafiq 3 Shahman a/l Segaran 3 Choo Wei Sern 3 Chua Por Ron 3 Mohd Hisyam Hilmi bin Abd Rahman 3
How many Land Acquisition cases are reported in Malaysia courts?
119 reported Malaysia judgments (2021–2026) involve Land Acquisition.
How is Land Acquisition different from Land Law?
Land Acquisition concerns the compulsory taking of land by the State under the Land Acquisition Act 1960 and the compensation payable, while Land Law covers the wider body of registered-title, indefeasibility and dealing disputes under the National Land Code.
How is compensation assessed?
The judgments determine the sum payable — penentuan jumlah pampasan (the determination of the sum of compensation) — under sections 12, 36, 37 and 49 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960, assessing market value by comparable sales under the First Schedule and distinguishing commercial from residential land use.
What is the land-reference procedure?
It is the process by which a landowner dissatisfied with the award refers the question of compensation to the High Court, which sits with assessors. The collection also considers issue estoppel between successive references and the effect of inordinate delay in the acquisition process on the compensation payable.
Cases
Page 3 of 5w-01a-668-11-2021
SEMANTAN ESTATE (1952) SDN. BHD. v 1. ) KERAJAAN MALAYSIA 2. ) PESURUHJAYA TANAH PERSEKUTUAN 3. ) MENTERI YANG BERTANGGUNGJAWAB BAGI TANAH DI WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN 4. ) MENTERI SUMBER ASLI DAN ALAM SEKITAR 5. ) KETUA PENGARAH TANAH DAN GALIAN 6. ) PENGARAH TANAH DAN GALIAN (WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN) 7. ) PENDAFTAR HAKMILIK (WILAYAH PERSEKUTUTUAN)
23 June 2025
MYCOA
w-01imncvc-646-10-2024
XXXX v PENDAFTAR HAKMILIK WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN, KUALA LUMPUR
23 June 2025
MYCOA
w-01ncvca-519-08-2024
PENDAFTAR HAKMILIK WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN, KUALA LUMPUR v XXXX
23 June 2025
MYCOA
cb-15-51-12-2024
KATRINA BINTI ABDULLAH @ LEE MOI TIN v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Bentong
22 June 2025
MYHC
cb-15-52-12-2024
KARTINA BINTI ABDULLAH @ LEE MOI TIN v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Bentong
22 June 2025
MYHC
wa-15-25-05-2023
ZAINAB BINTI ALIAS v Pentadbir Tanah Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
15 June 2025
MYHC
15-100-09-2012
Sistem Lingkaran Lebuhraya Kajang Sdn Bhd (SILK) v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Hulu Langat
11 June 2025
MYHC
15-99-09-2012
Orchard Circle Sdn Bhd v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Hulu Langat
11 June 2025
MYHC
kb-15-23-08-2023
M.E.I. DEVELOPMENT SDN BHD v 1. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Kulim 2. ) Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri
10 June 2025
MYHC
kb-15-14-07-2023
CAB AMESIST BIOMASS GENERATION SDN BHD v 1. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Kuala Muda 2. ) Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri
19 May 2025
MYHC
ca-15-4-06-2023
NAKHODA CEKAP SDN BHD v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Kuantan
18 May 2025
MYHC
ba-15-143-05-2024
SOUTHERN REALTY (MALAYA) SDN. BHD. v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Hulu Selangor
5 May 2025
MYHC
ba-15-144-05-2024
SOUTHERN REALTY (MALAYA) SDN. BHD. v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Hulu Selangor
5 May 2025
MYHC
cb-15-17-06-2024
CHONG CHEN NAM v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Bentong
29 April 2025
MYHC
ba-25-52-08-2023
1. ) Dato' Jitendra Chhotalal Doshi 2. ) KIRON CHHOTALAL DOSHI v 1. ) PENGARAH TANAH DAN GALIAN SELANGOR 2. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Gombak 3. ) MALAYSIA RAIL LINK SDN BHD PENCELAH China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd
27 April 2025
MYHC
ba-24ncvc-829-04-2024
SAVANDARAJAN A/L SUBRAMONIAN v 1. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Klang 2. ) GOH SWEE WAN
22 April 2025
MYHC
ba-15-141-11-2023
WEST COAST EXPRESSWAY SDN BHD v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Klang PENCELAH 1. ) HIAP GUAN CHAN TIMBER HARDWARE MERCHANT 2. ) Tee Kim Chan 3. ) Kee Heok Kang 4. ) Law Kooi Keong
21 April 2025
MYHC
ba-24ncvc-2269-10-2024
West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd v 1. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Klang 2. ) TEE YI TORNG
21 April 2025
MYHC
cb-15-16-06-2024
AURELIAN LAND SDN BHD v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Bentong
14 April 2025
MYHC
ba-24ncvc-1770-08-2024
GANESAN A/L A. RENGAN v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Klang PENCELAH West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd
9 April 2025
MYHC
wa-15-1-01-2023
MAH CHIN BOOI v Pentadbir Tanah Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
9 April 2025
MYHC
ba-24ncvc-2593-12-2023
MALAYSIA RAIL LINK SDN. BHD. v 1. ) PENGARAH TANAH DAN GALIAN SELANGOR 2. ) Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Gombak PENCELAH 1. ) Dato' Jitendra Chhotalal Doshi 2. ) KIRON CHHOTALAL DOSHI
6 April 2025
MYHC
t-01ncvca-86-02-2023
Kumpulan Ladang-Ladang Trengganu Sdn. Bhd. v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Setiu
24 March 2025
MYCOA
t-01ncvca-87-02-2023
Kumpulan Ladang-Ladang Trengganu Sdn. Bhd. v Pentadbir Tanah Kuala Nerus
24 March 2025
MYCOA
ba-15-129-05-2024
KP ASLI SDN. BHD. v Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Gombak
19 March 2025
MYHC