Kuala lumpur: A total of 84,384 small estate cases valued at RM19.01 billion were successfully settled throughout 2025, the Dewan Rakyat was informed today. Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh highlighted this achievement, emphasizing the ministry's ongoing commitment to managing estate distribution, despite 46,707 cases remaining unresolved as of December 31 last year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Syed Ibrahim stated that the Federal Director-General of Lands and Mines Department (JKPTG) is aiming to fully resolve the remaining backlog by 2028. He stressed that while not all cases have been completed, significant progress has been made. The JKPTG is targeting to reduce the backlog of small estate cases within the next two years, contingent on the absence of further issues or disputes. This was conveyed during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, addressing a query from Dr. Abd Ghani Ahmad (PN-Jerlun) regarding the number of unresolved small estate cases, the causes of delays, and the targeted timeframe to reduce the backlog.

Syed Ibrahim further noted that the ministry has established a standard completion period of four months for complete applications without disputes, starting from the submission date. However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges related to the attitudes and cooperation of heirs, which significantly slow down the estate claim process. Delays are often caused by heirs failing to submit claims due to work commitments and the complexities introduced by multiple successive deaths.

He also identified disputes and the lack of consensus among heirs regarding inheritance or asset management as significant obstacles. Additionally, incomplete documentation, lack of knowledge about the application process, reluctance among heirs to attend hearings, and difficulties in tracing other eligible heirs further contribute to delays in resolving cases.