Khalid wants a probe on Ijok land issue
It also does not reflect good business procedure in managing the people’s asset in Selangor says former Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim
(Berita Daily) – The action by Mohamed Azmin Ali led Selangor government to return 880 hectare land seized from two housing developers in Ijok in 2009 is not considered to be good practice.
It also does not reflect good business procedure in managing the people’s asset in Selangor said former Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim .
He questioned as to why the parcels of lands now worth RM1.18 billion were returned to the developers and than subsequently was sold off to other parties.
In a statement today Khalid called upon the authorities to probe the aprties involved in the controversial land deal, the New Straits Times reported.
The now Pelabuhan Kelang indepedent state assemblyman said that he had questioned the Ijok land issue in the Selangor State Assembly in November 2016.
“Why were the lands seized by the Selangor State government in 2009, when I was the Menteri Besar, was returened (to the developers) and than sold to other parties ?
“The case initiated by LBCN Development Sdn Bhd and Mujur Zaman Sdn Bhd is at the (appeals) level of the Federal Courts when a resolution was undertaken.
“Even though I am one of the parties in the case, me and my lawyers were never present nor were we ever invited for any discussions for its resolution,” he said.
Khalid said certain quarters tried to make an offer to him when he was the Mentri Besar, to resolve the Ijok land issue, when its court case was ongoing.
However, Khalid said he was determined to defend the decision he made in regards to the land.
This he said was done, so as to rehabilitate the project which had burdened thousands of settlers and house buyers.
Khalid also claimed that certain intersted parties including land agents and financial institutions were were against the project from being rehabilitated.
“The Selangor state government should not have agreed to the resolution as it had it had resulted in a negative effect.
“Now there this perception that that the resolution was undertaken in a suspicious manner has tarnished the good name and reputation of the state government.
“I hope the authorties would investigate the issue throughly, particularly the parties involved as part of their solution to the issue and to uncover the truth.
Yesterday, Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan urged Azmin to clear the air over the controversial land deal.
In November last year, several non-governmental organisations had lodged reports with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the Selangor government over the land deal.
In 1998, settlers had agreed to allow a several companies including Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development to develop the land in Ijok, including for housing. The companies also agreed to pay the settlers compensation.
However 10 years later, the settlers were still left waiting for their compensation and their houses.
When Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor after the 2008 General Elections, Khalid the then Mentri Besar seized the land utilising the National Land Code.
Khalid reportedly said the companies did not meet certain conditions under the National Land Code, did not pay the land premium, failed to change the land’s status from agricultural land to residential land; and did not pay the premium to change the land status.
Both developers then sued the Selangor government at the High Court to acquire their land. On Oct 22, 2013, Khalid won the case.
Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development then filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal. On Feb 17, 2014, the court ruled in favour of the Selangor government and the Selangor Menteri Besar, resulting in the two companies bringing their case to the Federal Court.
In 2014, when Azmin became the Menteri Besar and before the Federal Court heard the case, Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development as well as several other related companies struck an agrement with a company to sell a 880ha piece of land at a price of RM1.18 billion.
On May 17, 2016, Azmin filed a consent settlement agreement at the Federal Court.
The filing proposed a joint agreement between the Selangor government, Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development to settle the matter.”
