CYBERJAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) Strategic Communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan has urged Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to clear the air over a controversial RM1.18 billion land deal in Ijok.
Rahman said the state government’s act in handing over the 880ha land to two companies, even before the case was brought to the Federal Court, had raised suspicions as the decisions by the High Court and Court of Appeal were in favour of the Selangor state government reclaiming the land.
“What was his justification for giving the land to Mujur Zaman Sdn Bhd and LCBN Development Sdn Bhd, when the High Court and Court of Appeal had decided in favour of former Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s decision to retake the land?"
“Why didn’t Azmin wait for the case to be heard in the Federal Court since the state government had already won the case? Why did Azmin make a hasty decision which led to losses for the state and people of Selangor?” he told a press conference, today.
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.
Rahman said, when Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor after the 2008 General Election, Khalid’s administration had seized the land - owned by Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development - as the companies had breached the terms and conditions under the National Land Code.
It was reported the companies did not meet certain conditions which include failing to pay the land premium; failing to change the land’s status from agricultural land to residential land; and failing to 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."
Rahman said Azmin then decided to return the land to Mujur Zaman and LBCN Development with the mandatory term in the consent agreement stating that the land sale must be made to the aforementioned company.
"I’m also wondering if the former director of the two companies, Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who is a staunch supporter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had any influence over Azmin's decision on this matter," he said.
Rahman also questioned the compensation issue for 980 settlers in the form of RM180,000 cash and a RM250,000 house each which were given recently.
"Azmin announced a huge compensation value of RM421.4 million, but what happened to the balance of RM758.6 million?" he said, asking how the RM1.18 billion sales revenue made by the two companies were being spent.