Exposure on 'BN Sapu Tanah Negeri. Tiada yang Tertinggal. Tiada yang Terpinggir'

At the State Assembly on 25th September 2012, my question asking the BN Perak State Government to list out the lands that have been approved since their grab of power on 6/2/2009 until now was reject on a ridiculous ground that the same can be obtained from normal reference books. We all know that the answer cannot be found in any reference book. The real reason behind the refusal to answer is that the land approvals by BN Perak Government are questionable.

An answer given by the State Government in the State Assembly on 15/8/2011 stated that the BN Perak Government had approved 68,503 acres of during a short period of 29 months from 6/2/2009 to July 2011 at very cheap premium rates. Thereafter, the BN Perak Government has refused to entertain any more questions on lands approved by the State Government.

Some UMNO members and internal sources could not stand what is going on and have now supplied PR Leaders with information on what is happening in Perak administration and they aptly describe what is happening as 'BN Sapu tanah Negeri. Tiada yang Tertinggal. Tiada yang Terpinggir', an adaption of BN's slogan purportedly caring for the people of Perak.

The PR Government's policy is to use state land to provide for the public, to provide public utilities and infrastructures for the people. In cases where there is a need to jointly develop a piece of land with the private sector we will have a transparent open tender system to enable to get people to get the best deal out of the land.

Today I am exposing the first questionable land approval by the BN Perak Government. There are many more to come.

This involve a choice 6 acres piece of land in the centre of Sitiawan town. It is a depot of the Manjung Town Council (MPM) with also 44 units of Government quarters. It was on the surface approved to Manjung Town Council but with an expressed condition that it be developed by Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd, a private company without an open tender. The land is located next to Crystal Hotel and opposite the Store Supermarket.

The premium to be paid under the Perak Land Rules was RM4,729,587-00 but the BN Perak Government reduced it to a nominal a sum of RM1,000 per lot or RM52,000-00 for the 52 lots on the said land after subdivision. A vacant commercial lot in this location is worth about RM300,000-00. Therefore, had it been subdivided and sold it would have reaped the State Government a handsome sum of about RM15,600,000-00. In a joint venture situation State Government should be getting a better value for the said land.

Manjung Town Council will have to replace (build) the 44 government quarters and the depot that were demolished under the condition for the approval of the said land.

The said land application was said to have by passed the land office.

The following questions arise that need BN Perak Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir to answer in order to be accountable to the people of Perak:-

(i) Why was an open tender not called for the said project?

(ii) Why was Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd chosen to undertake the project and not any other company?

(iii) Was the reduction of premium from RM4,729,587-00 to a nominal sum of RM52,000-00 meant to ultimately benefit Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd ?

(iv) Why the land application did not follow the normal procedure of going through the land office?

(v) Who will bear the costs of building the 44 units of government quarters and the depot? Will public funds be used?

(vi) Will MPM and the BN Perak Government agree to disclose the terms of the joint venture agreement between MPM and Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd?

(vii) What is the relationship of the shareholders of Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd with Dato' Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir?

The people demands answers to the abovesaid questions. Unless Dato' Seri Zambry answers the abovesaid questions satisfactorily, we know here is another project benefitting BN's crony at the expense of the people. Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Najib Bin Tun Razak who was the mastermind behind Dato' Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir's Perak power grab on 6/2/009 is also answerable to the people of Perak.

Ngeh Koo Ham DAP Perak State Chairman & MP for Beruas