News by Hafiz Yatim

In a decision that is expected to affect the land industry in the city and the government, the High Court on Tuesday has allowed the application by the liquidator of Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd for the 263.27-acre land in Mukim Batu — known as the “Duta enclave” that currently houses various government complexes and facilities — to be transferred back to the company.

While the Federal Court last Friday (July 26) provided some clarity on the landmark Ang Ming Lee decision made in 2019 by ruling that it is only applicable prospectively, a lawyer has posed some queries on the limitation of filing a claim within six years and the rights of homebuyers.

The Federal Court’s latest ruling on Friday, that the Ang Ming Lee decision should be applied prospectively, is fair and balanced, said senior lawyer Leonard Yeoh, who is familiar with matters related to housing and developers.

The Federal Court on Friday unanimously decided that the Ang Ming Lee decision made by the apex court in 2020, which has been bugging housing developers over the years despite gaining extension of time (EOT) prior to that landmark ruling, is applicable prospectively and not retrospectively.

Come Friday (July 26), the Federal Court will deliver an important decision which would affect homebuyers and developers alike, on whether the decision made by the apex court in the Ang Ming Lee and another vs the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Controller of Housing case has a retrospective effect or otherwise.

A three-member bench, led by judge Datuk Lee Swee Seng, in allowing CDS’ appeal, ruled that there was no defamation, no negligence, and no breach of statutory duty by the credit-rating agency.

The High Court here on Friday granted a temporary stay against the Selayang Municipal Council’s (MPS) decision to approve the planning permission of three blocks of 38-storey high-rise condominiums in the Sierramas & Valencia township located in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) has lost a case against a house buyer, who sued the bank for terminating a loan facility agreement after the first disbursement.

With signs of a simmering settlement with the government in one of the longest-standing civil land disputes in history dissipating, the Court of Appeal (COA) has fixed Sept 19 to hear the appeal by Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd in its seven-decade dispute over 263.272 acres of land along Jalan Duta that is currently occupied by public properties.

Seventy-eight property owners in Hatten Square, Melaka, have obtained a summary judgement from the High Court there against the main developer, MDSA Development Sdn Bhd, which requires the company to pay them RM2.009 million in rental arrears for a mix of commercial and residential units, and the return of RM591,143.90 as payment for refurbishments that were never done.