Apandi Ali JC:

This is a land reference matter which came up for hearing on 9 June 2003. On the said hearing date, counsel for the applicant applied for postponement based on two reasons:

(a) Affidavit in support of the application has not been filed; and

(b) Applicant's valuation report has not been filed.

Upon objections by the State Legal Adviser and upon the application of State Legal Adviser, the court struck off the application, for failure to comply with the provisions of paras. 3 and 6 of the Third Schedule of the Land Acquisition Act 1960.

The applicant, not satisfied with the decision now appeals against the said decision. I now give my grounds for the decision.

The Relevant Law

The only relevant law applicable for purposes of the proceeding is none other than the Land Acquisition Act 1960. In particular, the relevant provisions of the Act are s. 45 and the Third Schedule. Section 45 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960 reads as follows:

Proceedings to be in open Court

(1) Every proceeding under this Part shall take place in Open court.

((1A) The provisions of the Third Schedule shall apply to every proceeding under this Part.)

((1B) The Rules Committee appointed under the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 may amend the provisions of the Third Schedule relating to the procedure to be followed by the Court in all proceedings under this Act.)

(2) Save in so far as they may be inconsistent with anything contained in this Act, the law for the time being in force relating to civil procedure shall apply to all proceedings before the Court under this Act.

It is therefore crystal clear that the provisions of The Third Schedule (which is entitled "Evidence and Procedure in Land Reference Cases") shall apply to this particular proceeding. It is also clear that the acquisition proceedings relating to this reference took place in year 2001, ie, after the coming into effect of The Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act 1997 (Act A999) which came into effect on 1 March 1998. The Act A999 added the sub-ss. (1A) and (1B) to s. 45 of the Act. The Third Schedule also came with the said Amendment Act A999.

History Of The Third Schedule

Prior to Act A999, the procedural provision in respect of Land Reference cases were governed by a High Court practice note, known as "Arahan Amalan No. 11 tahun 87", which I hereby reproduce in toto, as follows:

MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA

ARAHAN AMALAN NO. 11 TAHUN 87

LAPORAN-LAPORAN PENILAIAN DALAM KES-KES PENGAMBILAN TANAH

1. Yang Amat Arif Hakim Besar Malaya, dengan ini mengarah bahawa prosedur berikut hendaklah berkuatkuasa dalam perbicaraan kes-kes pengambilan tanah:

a) Melainkan penilai tanah, semua keterangan hendaklah dikemukakan melalui afidavit. Deponen boleh dipanggil untuk diperiksa balas di mana sekurang-kurangnya notis 7 hari hendaklah diberi terlebih dahulu oleh pihak yang memanggilnya. Laporan penilaian pihak pemohon itu sendiri mestilah membuktikan suatu kes prima faciebagi pihak pemohon. Keterangan lisan oleh penilai yang dipanggil oleh pihak pemohon hendaklah hanya dikemukakan dalam pemeriksaan balas dan dalam pemeriksaan semula. Begitu juga, laporan penilaian pihak responden mestilah mencukupi untuk mematahkan laporan penilaian pihak pemohon. Kaedah berhubung dengan pemberian keterangan lisan, pemeriksaan balas dan pemeriksaan semula penilai pihak pemohon adalah juga terpakai kepada penilai pihak responden.

b) Begitu juga, kecuali laporan penilaian, mana-mana dokumen yang perlu dikemukakan hendaklah melalui afidavit.

c) Melainkan di mana ia telah termasuk dalam Perujukan Pemungut kepada Mahkamah di bawah seksyen 36(2), Akta Pengambilan Tanah, keterangan oleh tuan punya berdaftar adalah tidak perlu dikemukakan. Jika, atas apa-apa sebab keterangannya perlu dikemukakan, ia hendaklah dibuat melalui afidavit. Seperti dalam kaedah (a) di atas dia mungkin dipanggil untuk diperiksa balas mengenai afidavitnya di mana sekurang-kurangnya notis 7 hari hendaklah diberi terlebih dahulu oleh pihak yang meman