News by Hafiz Yatim

The High Court on Wednesday dismissed a judicial review filed by eight residents and property owners to challenge the validity of the new KL Local Plan 2020 master plan, which they claimed was approved and gazetted without notices, forums or gathering of their feedback.

The Court of Appeal (COA) on Friday has fixed June 24 to deliver its decision over the Federal Territory Land Registrar’s appeal over having to register the 263.272-acre prime Kuala Lumpur land known as the “Duta enclave” back to Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd, following a High Court decision last August.

The long-standing Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd dispute with the government could bring into question the issue of the rule of law in the country, as what the company and its liquidators possess is a judicial order by the High Court, and affirmed by the Federal Court, that leaves no doubt that the taking and occupation of the 263.272-acre prime Kuala Lumpur land known as the ‘Duta enclave’ is unlawful, but the matter had yet to be rectified, said the lawyers for the company.

The Federal Territory Land Registrar and the government told the Court of Appeal on Thursday that Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd is not entitled to the recovery of the 263.272 acres of prime Kuala Lumpur land known as the "Duta enclave", but it is entitled to receive compensation.

As there is no settlement in sight for the multibillion half-century dispute of 263.272 acres of prime land in Kuala Lumpur called the “Duta enclave”, appeals by Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd and the cross-appeal by the Federal Territory Land Registrar and the federal government will proceed for two days at the Court of Appeal on Thursday and Friday (Feb 20 and 21).

Wisma Majujaya Sdn Bhd has obtained a summary judgement from the High Court on Monday over its RM28.1 million suit filed against Bina Puri Holdings Bhd (KL:BPURI), its subsidiary Bina Puri Properties Sdn Bhd, and its director Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng.

Bina Puri Holdings Bhd (KL:BPURI), its subsidiary Bina Puri Properties Sdn Bhd and its director Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng has been slapped with a RM28.1 million lawsuit by housing developer Wisma Majujaya Sdn Bhd for not abiding with a joint venture agreement (JVA) to develop a project in Johor Bahru, called “Puri Residence”.

Former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad has filed an application to disqualify the law firm of Messrs Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill (LHAG) from representing Felda and its subsidiary Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FIC) in its RM2 billion suit against him and 28 others, in relation to the KL Vertical City (KLVC) project.

A three-member bench, led by Datuk Supang Lian, granted the stay, and for the case to remain status quo of the lands to be maintained, pending the determination of the judicial review application that was commenced by the R&M from Grant Thornton. 

The federal government on Thursday disputed Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd’s possession of the 263.72-acre (106.72-hectare) ‘Duta Enclave’ prime land, saying that the company, which is presently under liquidators’ control, is only entitled to monetary compensation based on the Government Proceedings Act 1956 (GPA) and the Specific Relief Act 1950 (SRA).