Ahad, 4 Januari 2015

Chong Chieng Jen's Blog

Chong Chieng Jen's Blog


Does Adenan has the political will to put a stop on dubious land deals for Barisan Nasional crony? Or is Adenan only paying Lip Service to Clean Governance?

Posted: 03 Jan 2015 04:46 AM PST

(3-1-2015)


In the November, 2014 Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak sitting, I have submitted a question as follow:
"  6.    To ask the Chief Minister and Minister for Resource Planning and Environment:  To state the rationale for the sale of State land Lots 128, 5489, 5490, 5491, 2301, 2304 and 5279 all of Block 225 Kuching North Land District (a total of 267.15 acres) to Standard Parade Development Sdn Bhd at a mere RM115 million."

Those parcels of land are situated opposite Batu Kawah MJC Commercial Centre.  Anyone in the know about property market in Kuching will know that the market price for land in that area is in the region of RM2 million per acre.  For such large parcel of land with a total area of 267.15 acres in that area, the market price is easily RM500 million.


To my said question, I have received an answer from the Chief Minister which provides, inter alia:

"    Lot 128, 5489, 5490, 5491, 2301, 2304 and 5279 all of Block 225 Kuching North Land District telah dilulus untuk diberimilik bagi pembangunan bercampur seperti rumah kedai, showroom dan lock-up shop, bangunan industry, institusi pendidikan, bangunan pejabat dan pelbagai jenis rumah kediaman.  Selain daripada itu, tanah yang diguna dan telah dibangunkan untuk kawasan lapang, jalan raya, perparitan, tempat letak kereta, substesen elektrik dan bangunan awam akan diserahbalik kepada Kerajaan secara percuma.  Oleh yang demikian, setelah mengambilkira factor-faktor yang disebut di atas, premium sejumlah RM115 juta yang dikenakan bagi pemberimilikan tanah tersebut adalah berpatutan dan munasabah."
(    Lot 128, 5489, 5490, 5491, 2301, 2304 and 5279 all of Block 225 Kuching North Land District have been approved for alienation for mixed development, eg. shophouses, showroom and lock-up shop, industrial building, institution of education, office building and various types of residential house.  Besides, land which will be used for and developed into open area, roads, drains, parking space, electricity substation and public building will be surrendered back to the Government for free.  As such, after taking into consideration of the above factors, the RM115 premium charged for the alienation of the above land is fair and reasonable.)

This is similar answer given by the State Government under the previous Chief Minister, Taib Mahmud, when he answered questions on State land being alienated to BN crony companies at only a small fraction of the prevailing market price.


The ultimate question now for Adenan is: Is Adenan continuing with the previous State Government policy in alienating State Land to BN cronies at only a small fraction of the prevailing market price? 


All developers, when they develop land into commercial buildings or residential houses, will have to surrender the open area, roads, drains, parking space, electricity substation and/or public building or structures to the government for free.  However, they are still required to purchase land at the prevailing market prices, NOT a fraction of the market price. 

Any developer wishing to buy land in that area will have to buy land at the prevailing market price of approximately RM2 million per acre and when it develops the land, the open area, roads, drains, parking space, electricity substation will still have to be surrendered to the government for free. 

Therefore, the answer given by the Chief Minister does not provide a justification for the sale of State land to Standard Parade Development Sdn Bhd (SPD) at only 20% of the prevailing market price of the land.


My question to Adenan Satem is:  What is so special about SPD that it can get land from the Government at only an average of RM430,000 per acre when the market price is RM2 million per acre?  For land of the size of 267 acres, the Government is foregoing RM400 million for the sole benefit of this SPD company.


The undisputed facts about this alienation exercise are as follows:

1.       The Agreement between the Government of Sarawak and SPD was signed on 8-3-2014, which was after Adenan Satem became the Chief Minister of Sarawak.  Therefore, Adenan can't wash his hands clean on this deal by attributing it to the decision of the previous Chief Minister.

2.       The consideration price of RM115 million under the said Agreement was to be paid in kind by SPD building one SABATI (Association of Wives of Ministers and Assistant Ministers of Sarawak) building at Jalan Bako, 1 orphanage building at Mukah and 1 orphanage building at Lawas, to be valued by JKR at approximately RM115 million.

3.       The land will be alienated to SPD even before the SPD completes the construction of the 3 buildings. 
Under the Agreement, so long as SPD commences construction of the SABATI building and signs the building agreements for the 2 orphanage buildings, documents of title to the 267 acre of land will be issued to SPD within 21 days. 
In other words, SPD only need to incur few hundred thousand Ringgit to commence construction and the State land worth RM500 million market value will be alienated to it.


In previous dubious land deals, at least the recipients of the land would have completed the projects before they received the State land as payment in kind.  In this case, SPD will receive the land even before it completes or incur substantial cost in constructing the projects. 


Such arrangement is a double rip-off on the State Government and the people of Sarawak, ie. State land is alienated to SPD at 20% of market value (the State losing RM400 million potential revenue) and even that meagre 20% is not paid before the land were alienated to SPD.

By the looks of it, it seems that the land-grabbing is worse under Adenan's administration.  Though Adenan has previously forbidden his direct family members from applying for State land, but it would be the same if he continues to allow BN cronies to get State land at only fractions of the market price.

This dubious land deal has thrown doubts onto Adenan's statements about clean and good governance and the integrity of his whole Administration. 

How can a Chief Minister who advocates for clean and good governance allow such double rip-off to happen right under his nose?  If Adenan Satem does not stop this land deal, all his talks about clean and good governance will become hot air and mere window-dressing.


Therefore, I urge Adenan Satem to walk the talk and act immediately on this dubious land deal.  Otherwise, he will disappoint all those who harbour hopes of reforms and change in the State Government under his leadership.

I also urge the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to carry out investigation on the matter.  If MACC wishes to have any document on the land deal, I am prepared to furnish the MACC with all the document in my possession provided that it must act on it and not pay lip service only, giving in to the power that be.


Chong Chieng Jen
Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching
ADUN for Kota Sentosa


砂州首长是否真的要停止廉价售卖政府地给国阵朋党公司,还是只是口惠而实不至?

Posted: 03 Jan 2015 04:44 AM PST


(古晋3日讯) 民主行动党古晋市国会议员兼哥打圣淘沙州议员张健仁质问砂州首长阿迪南是否有真的意愿要停止廉价售卖政府地给国阵朋党公司,还是只是口惠而实不至。

张健仁透露,在去年11月的砂州议会,他提呈以下的一个问题:
 "  6. 询问首席部长兼天然资源与环境部长,政府为何只以区区的1亿1500万令吉的价格,售卖Lots 128, 5489, 5490, 5491, 2301, 2304 and 5279 all of Block 225 Kuching North Land District (总共267.15英亩)的政府地给 Standard Parade Development有限公司?"

张氏说,这些地段是座落在石角路MJC商业中心对面。 任何对于古晋地产稍微有认识的人都知道,那一带地的市价,大约是1英亩200万令吉。 一片267英亩座落在那一带的土地,市价大概是5亿令吉。

张健仁今日在新闻发布会上展示首席部长针对他的问题给予的答案,关键的答案如下:
 " Lot 128, 5489, 5490, 5491, 2301, 2304 and 5279 all of Block 225 Kuching North Land District 以被批准为综合发展,包括店屋、陈列室型的商店、lock-up店、工业店、教育机构、办公室建筑及各式房屋。 除此之外,那些用以发展为空地、道路、沟渠、停车场、发电站、公共建筑的部分地段,将归还给政府。 因此,若考虑到这些因素,1亿1500万令吉的价格出售这片政府地段是合理的。"

张健仁指出,这种答案跟之前在泰益当首席部长时代,针对政府廉价卖政府地给朋党公司的问题所给予的答案,完全一模一样。

"有鉴于此,我们毕竟要问,阿迪南是否还将继续前朝政府以廉价售卖政府地给国阵朋党公司的文化?"


为何特别优待朋党

张氏说,任何发展商要建商店或房屋,也必须将空地、道路、沟渠、停车场、发电站、公共建筑归还给政府,但是它们还是需要以市价买地充作发展用途。 就以MJC一带的地段位列,任何一位发展商若要在那里买地建商店或房屋,他们还是需以越每英亩200万令吉的价格买地,之后,当他们发展他们的地时,他们也必须将空地、道路、沟渠、停车场、发电站的那部分土地免费归还给政府。

"因此,阿迪南所给予的答案根本没有解答到为何砂州政府以市价的20%的价钱,售卖那片政府地给Standard Parade Development有限公司。 我也要质问阿迪南,这间Standard Parade Development有限公司到底有什么特别之处,政府愿意将一片5亿令吉的政府地,只是以区区的1亿1500万令吉出售给它?"


有关这项交易,张健仁列出3个无可否认的事实:

1.       砂州政府与Standard Parade Development 有限公司签署的合约日期是201438日。 这是阿迪南成为砂州首席部长之后。 因此,阿迪南没有藉口说这是前朝首长做的事。 他不能以此藉口来推卸责任。

2.       在合约下,这1亿1500万令吉是以物物交换方式偿还。Standard Parade Development 有限公司将为砂州政府建3个建筑物,即:座落在Jalan Bako SABATI (砂拉越部长夫人和助理部长夫人公会)大夏、分别座落在沐胶和老越的孤儿院。

3.       Standard Parade Development有限公司不需等到完成这3个建筑物,就可先得到那267英亩的政府地。
在该合约下,只要Standard Parade Development有限公司开始建SABATI大夏及签署承建那两个孤儿院,土地局就必须在21天之内,发那267英亩地的地契给这间公司。
换言之,Standard Parade Development有限公司只需要花费区区几十万令吉,就可先得到价值5亿令吉的土地了!


张氏表示,过去政府廉价出售政府地的交易,至少那些得到政府地的公司,是先做好有关的政府工程,政府以政府地偿还工程的价格。 但是,现今MJC对面这片地段的交易,Standard Parade Development有限公司连那3个建筑物都不需要做好,就可以先得到价值5亿令吉的政府地了。


双重剥削砂州人民

张氏说,这简直就是"双重剥削",即:
1.    政府地以市价的20%卖给这间公司,砂州政府和人民损失了越4亿令吉;
2.    就连这么低(20%)的价钱都还没有收到,政府地就已经过名给这间公司了。

"这种以政府地自肥朋党的操作,似乎在阿迪南上任首长之后变本加厉。 虽然阿迪南曾说过不允许他的直系亲属申请政府地,但是,不允许他的直系亲属申请政府地,却允许国阵朋党以如此廉价和方便就得到政府地,对砂州人民而言,还不是和泰益时代的政府一样?"


张健仁指出,如此充满疑点和不寻常的政府地交易,已让人民开始质疑阿迪南要实行廉政的意愿到底有几份真,同时,它也使到人民对州政府在阿迪南统领下的诚信,失去信心。 一个口口声声说要落实透明廉政的首长,又如何可以允许这种双重剥削的事件,在他面前发生?

张氏也指出,如果阿迪南没有停止这个MJC对面政府地的交易,那人民就可以断定,阿迪南在他上任之后所讲的廉政,只是在粉饰砂州政府的行政,塑造一个不真实、表明廉政的形象。


促阿迪南言行一致

张氏呼吁阿迪南,应该要说到做到,不要口惠而实不至。 否则他将让许多对他即已厚望,希望他能为砂州带来好的改变的民众失望。


同时,张健仁也敦促反贪委员会立刻进行调查。 他也表示,若反贪委员会由意要向他索取有关土地交易的文件,他很乐意提供给反贪委员会,但反贪委员会必须真的去调查而不是空口说白话,到最后又是受到政治压力而放弃调查。

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