By Zurairi AR
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 21, 2012
SHAH ALAM, Nov 21 — A Selangor assemblyman denied today that Umno had abused its political ties to grab state land meant for the public, as the party represented the people.
All 24 plots of land in Selangor — alleged to have been acquired by Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties and former MIC President Datuk Seri Samy Vellu (picture) while they were in the ruling coalition — were meant for public amenities like multi-purpose halls and kindergartens, said Umno state lawmaker for Kuang, Abdul Shukur Idrus.
“Umno is ‘rakyat’… Umno represents 400,000 ‘rakyat’ in Selangor. (The land plots) were not for an individual. They’re for an organisation with many members.
“Can’t Umno receive land for the use of the people?” he asked, in response to backbenchers from the ruling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact in the Selangor legislative assembly who had yesterday accused BN parties of being involved in a land grab when still in power.
The allegation was said to involve 24 plots of public land in seven out of nine districts in the country’s wealthiest state, which were acquired by the branches and divisions of Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan between 2000 and 2008.
Each plot of land measures up to seven acres and has a collective total area of around 33.5 acres, mostly in commercial areas.
Of the 24 plots, 15 are now owned by Umno branches or divisions, with six of them going to Umno Sungai Besar division, which was led by former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Khir Toyo.
MCA holds five plots, MIC three and Gerakan one.
Datuk Seri Samy Vellu , together with an S Subramaniam and the late Tan Sri SOK Ubaidullah, who was one of MIC’s founders, are named as the trustees for a 2,832 square metre plot in Kuala Selangor.
The biggest plot in the list is a seven-acre piece of land in Klang, which is owned by the Umno Kota Raja division, followed by a 6.5-acre plot in Batu 14, Puchong, which is owned by the Umno Puchong division.
Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim had challenged the BN component parties to return the land to the public to prove that they really have the interests of the people at heart.
“They have to prove that they are true fighters who are sincere to the people … not give empty talk … fighting for the people, but then grab their land,” he said yesterday.
#1 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 7:14 pm
///Umno is ‘rakyat’, not wrong to acquire public land, says Kuang rep///
Isn’t it shameful for people who broke the law to make such claim? They must be thick-skinned people.
#2 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 8:23 pm
Look. Just look at them. How more idiotic. How more stupid. How more ludicrous can it get?
Ooooooh boy! Only umno and gang could come up with statements like that. They must be mental!
#3 by Godfather on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 9:21 pm
Trying so hard to justify theft. Just like Rahman Dahlan trying to justify the RM 40 million “donation”.
#4 by sheriff singh on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 9:26 pm
The point is they all made a lot of money out of all the transactions. Got them dirt cheap, well below market price.
#5 by Godfather on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 9:54 pm
Selangor should just invoke compulsory acquisition. They paid RM 1 psf, so let’s offer them RM 2 psf, giving the thieves a 100 pct gain. Let them complain it’s not enough.
#6 by Godfather on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 - 9:58 pm
Ask them if they’re voted out by the rakyat, will they return the plots of land ?
#7 by monsterball on Thursday, 22 November 2012 - 5:28 am
They grab the land as if their grandfathers left the land for them.
Give one or two to MCA and MIC to stay as loyal happy puppets.
That has always been the robbers and thieves style…and making sure puppets and cronies are not hungry and run away.
However…they had millions of puppets and cronies and they cannot bribe all….thus with that formula..applying to all anti BN..has now created more anti BN out of their smart ideas.
#8 by Sallang on Thursday, 22 November 2012 - 7:56 am
BN and their cronies are very good at grabbing cheap land, and then later convert them to commercial land.
Even small pockets of greenery around the towns are not spared. Then, they will come up with another plan, to plant 10000 trees along the roadside at the cost of RM20 per plant.
The trees are planted not to provide shade along walk ways,in view of the hot weather, but nice to have in the name of landscaping, in the middle of road dividers.
These people surely knows how to rob easy money from Government or rakyats’ money.
ABU
#9 by Bigjoe on Thursday, 22 November 2012 - 8:28 am
You really have to laugh at the neanderthals that UMNO/BN has represent them in public. Seriously after 55 years of rule, billions spend on education, they can’t even get people who knows basic law to run as assemblymen?
Do we really need an explanation how Micheal Chia’s RM40m went from Musa Aman’s money to Sabah UMNO’s donation?
#10 by mauriyaII on Saturday, 24 November 2012 - 11:29 am
This has been the SOP of UMNO/BN for the past 55 years. Steal from the rakyat in the name of the rakyat but sell it off or divide it among themselves to become rich millionaires.I am yet to come across a poor UMNO/BN MP or ADUN.
When a lanun of the caliber of Toyo was the MB what can we expect? Dig deeper and you would see more similar filth being unearthed.
High time this corrupted, arrogant and racist government is given the boot. CHANGE, CHANGE for the BETTER through ABU.
With UMNO gone, the other component parties in BN are nothing but dirty garbage to be thrown away for good.