Land Department is one of the oldest government departments in Negara Brunei Darussalam.
The present land administration is based on the Land Code that was enforced in September,
1909. With this Land Code, land ownership was based on a land registration system
to legalise its security of tenureship. Based on historical record, the Feudal system
of tenureship has been well established before the introduction of modern system
through Torrens System, 1858 in Southern Australia.
Land administration was first handled by the British Resident which has the power
to issue the letter of ownership to land applicants until the "Declaration of
Constitution" in 1959 where this power was given to His Majesty Duli Yang Maha
Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam through
Sultan in Council.
Before the appointment of the Land Commissioner in 1960, Land Department in each
districts was jointly administered with Survey Department and District Office. In
1952, Survey Department was separated while Land Department and District Office were
not affected.
Since its establishment, Land Department has experience a lot of changes in its main
function. Until the Second World War, the main function is to receive, inquire and
register land applications from the public. During the transition period from Feudal
tenureship system, the government have opened up a Land Application system to the
public. The application system was stopped at the end of 1954 when the application
received was too many to process. The number of staff in the Land Department at that
time was not able to handle the bulk of applications received.
Land Department also approved license for the temporary occupation of land or TOL
(Temporary Occupation License) also known as LTS. The license was first given from
the rejected Land Application. At that time, the land for TOL is only for agricultural
use, but now, it was for various usage.
With the declaration of land reserve for road and river in 1951, the first National
Development Plan was launched in 1953. Land Department apart from its involvement
with the allocation of land for government projects, it also provides compensation
whether it is monetary or otherwise.
Nowadays, the Land Department has handled more than 20 types of land applications
for example, Landless Scheme (also known as Tanah Kurnia Rakyat Jati Scheme), Resettlement
Scheme, Infill Scheme, change of land condition, transfer of land and others. Apart
from that, the Land Commissioner as the Head of Land Department is appointed as the
Chairman for various committees for example, Committee for Industrial, Special Committee
for Commercial and Oil Services and other committees.
