The Committee came to know on 23.5.2023 that the Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Johor (PTG) had issued a notice stating that “Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa pentadbiran tanah Johor akan menolak terimaan cek individu/syarikat di semua kaunter-kaunter perkhidmatan kecuali draf bank mulai tarikh 01 Jun 2023”. Following queries, the Committee was informed verbally by the respective officer that this will also include cheques issued by law firms. There was no prior notice from the PTG to the Committee informing us about this implementation.
The Committee had on 26.5.2023 written to Ketua Pengarah PTG amongst others, expressing our strong objections to this implementation and requested that cheques issued by law firms from their clients’ accounts to be continued to be accepted until the implementation of E-Tanah system.
Following our letter, the Committee had a meeting with the PTG on 30.5.2023 during which the Committee had once again asked for clients’ account cheques issued by law firms to be accepted and the status quo to be maintained at least until the implementation of E-Tanah system or for a grace period to be given for lawyers to be well prepared for the said implementation. Regretfully, PTG however declined our request and informed us that they are going ahead with the implementation of the new direction as planned. One of the main reasons given were their concern over the significant numbers of bad cheques issued by parties including by some law firms.
The PTG also clarified that the payment mode will not be limited to just bank drafts alone. It was confirmed that from 1.6.2023 payments at PTG counters may be made via cash, credit card and bank drafts or a combination of the said modes of payment provided that the payment is made on the same day. We were also informed that the PTG is also looking into enabling payment by way of debit card and online payment in the following months or latest by January 2024. As for payments at the respective Pejabat Tanah Daerah (PTDs) counters, payment may be made by way of cash, credit card, debit card or combination of the said modes.
Notwithstanding the above, the Committee is still pursuing the matter to get PTG to accept clients’ account cheques issued by law firms or at least to maintain the status quo until the implementation of E-Tanah. Members will be notified accordingly.
R JAYABALAN
CHAIRMAN