KL MPs hope to retrieve 10 of the 64 dubious DBKL land plots sold

PETALING JAYA (May 30): Kuala Lumpur MPs hope to retrieve at least 10 plots of land that are still registered under the name of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in the 64 parcels of land sold by DBKL under the purview of the former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor from 2013 to 2018.

According to the Federal Territories Lands and Mines Office, the names of owners of the 10 plots of land have yet to be transferred although they were sold, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng told reporters at a press conference after the first formal meeting between the 11 Kuala Lumpur MPs with Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz this morning.

“According to records obtained from the Lands and Mines Office Kuala Lumpur, out of the 64 parcels, there are at least 10 of them yet to transfer their ownership to the buyers. This means that they are still registered under DBKL.

“The KL Mayor said [in the meeting] that if the cabinet or the Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) gives an order to not grant a consent [for PTG] to transfer the ownership, DBKL will terminate the sale and purchase agreement with the buyers and get back the 10 pieces of land.

“This is also what we want. So now we are waiting for the cabinet or the KSN to give the order,” Lim said.

He noted that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has started investigation on the 64 parcels of land as the officers were at the DBKL office yesterday.

“He [the mayor] said he will fully cooperate with the MACC,” he said.

To recap, Lim had lodged a report with the MACC on May 16 to investigate the 64 parcels of land, which have a combined area of 424.29 acres and a total transaction value of RM4.28 billion.

He said that all 64 of them were sold without open tender and most of them were transacted at below market price at that time and without having gone through a valuation report.

Meanwhile, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai noted that DBKL is also hoping to retrieve a 31-acre plot in Batu 2.5, Cheras.

“The land has been sold but the mayor and other officials have expressed their wish to see the land be returned to DBKL, if possible,” he said.

Currently, the land comprises several buildings and complexes that house Jabatan Kesihatan DBKL, Jabatan Kejuruteraan Mekanikal dan Elektrikal and a store for confiscated goods by Jabatan Penguatkuasaan DBKL, Tan added.

“The deal of this transaction is lopsided and also detrimental to the interest of DBKL and the stakeholders of Kuala Lumpur because the land was sold below market price, and secondly, all the three departments have to move to a new site and build new buildings at their own cost, including the construction and land cost.

“In addition, if these departments do not move out by end-August this year, they have to pay compensation to the land buyer,” he elaborated.