JOHOR BARU, Dec 23 – Felda is confident that it will be able to regain ownership of the land in Jalan Semarak through efforts taken including by lodging a police report and registering a caveat on the land. Its chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad said Felda was not acting alone in the move and any efforts in regaining ownership of the land were made known to all parties concerned.
“If we are not confident, why did we lodge the police report, cancel the power of attorney (PA) issued and register the caveat on the land. Of course we (Felda) need support from the government because Felda is a government agency, the Attorney-General and the Land Office must help us,” he told reporters after the Johor Bahru parliamentary constituency circumcision ceremony at Larkin Flat here today.
Asked whether there was an element of fraud in the land ownership transfer, the Johor Baru Member of Parliament said the opinions of Felda lawyers, the Law Division of the Prime Minister’s Department and the Attorney-General led to that matter. “I don’t know if there is someone else who is wiser in the legal affairs, it is not only one person (who is looking into the case), many lawyers are looking at it,” he said.
According to Shahrir, as a PA holder, why did the company need to sell the land to itself whereas they had easily obtained the approval for development plans from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. On Gabungan Wawasan Generasi Felda chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail’s call to disclose the identity of those responsible in the land ownership transfer, Shahrir said it was not his intention to reveal who was involved.
“When I found out the change of ownership of the land, I can tell (there is an element of fraud) but we should be careful, a police report has been made, let the police investigate. Our country has the records, the company backgrounds, directors, all can be found at the Companies Commission of Malaysia,” he said.
Commenting on the doubt raised by the National Felda Settlers’ Children’s Association over the Felda administration’s ability to regain the land, he stressed that his actions were based on the act. Shahrir said, it was now up to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission whether to investigate the matter as a police report had been lodged on Dec 12.
It was reported yesterday that Felda was at risk of losing rights to the land located in the strategic Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur following a dubious land transfer. The land is currently being developed under the Kuala Lumpur Vertical City project involving a seven-tower project which includes an iconic Felda tower to be known as KLVC Tower 1A. Shahrir was reported as saying Felda was prepared to take all forms of action to regain ownership of the land, estimated at RM270 million. — Bernama
