FEDERAL Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad will meet with the Malay Agricultural Settlement (MAS) to smooth out long-standing issues regarding its jurisdiction. MAS, formed in 1900 through the Land Code Enactment 1896, was set up to oversee the infrastructural development of Kampung Baru. “We need to identify the root of its authoritative power and try to find an amicable solution to the matter,” said Khalid. He added that the ministry would also review the relevance of the law under which MAS was formed. On Nov 21, StarMetro reported about the jurisdictional overlap between MAS and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). In the story titled “Delving into Kg Baru’s roots,” MAS honorary secretary Shamsuri Suradi said a jurisdictional overlap existed between MAS and DBKL after the formation of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur on Feb 1, 1974. Khalid, however, said Kampung Baru was clearly under DBKL’s jurisdiction after Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory was formed. “MAS management board members were elected by the Selangor Mentri Besar (before 1974). “However, after Kampung Baru came under the Federal Territories administration, this was no longer practised. “This made MAS somewhat of an anomaly because it claimed to preside over an area which was no longer under the Selangor government,” said the minister. He added that MAS currently charged landowners a fee to renovate their houses and set up shops besides issuing development orders in Kampung Baru. On the claim that MAS was the last nexus between Kampung Baru and the Selangor palace, Khalid said that he raised the matter with Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. “The redevelopment plan and MAS’ status were discussed in the two-hour meeting. “We recognise that Kampung Baru has a history with the Selangor palace and we wanted input from the Sultan. “Sultan Sharafuddin said the conditions in Kampung Baru are hardly conducive for modern living as its surrounding areas have been developed. “The Sultan said that the Malay elements including historical buildings such as its Masjid Jamek and Kelab Sultan Sulaiman should be preserved,” Khalid’s statement read. StarMetro also learned that Shamsuri had gone to meet Sultan Sharafuddin in September to submit a memorandum. In the StarMetro report, it was stated that Kuala Lumpur mayor is the head of MAS. DBKL, in response to the story, said the mayor was never officially appointed to head MAS. “Although there is an enactment stating that the mayor is its chairman, he never received any such letter of appointment nor did he ever attend any of its meetings since assuming his mayoral role,” the statement read. Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the position of MAS chairman was automatically conferred on the mayor, though he was never directly appointed.