(Admin) -- Stop giving state land to crony firms -- Sarawak DAP today urged Chief Minister Adenan Satem to stop immediately the alienation of 263.6 acres of state land in Batu Kawa (MJC), Kuching, to a company it said is owned by leaders of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). The land should instead be used for affordable housing, with the construction of flats equipped with full recreational facilities and two primary schools, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen said today. DAP is concerned the land, worth about RM400 million, is in the process of being alienated to a company owned by PBB leaders. “We don’t want yet another plot of state land to be alienated to a crony company,” said Chong, who is the MP for Bandar Kuching and assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa. The DAP leader has been exposing abuses of power by the state government, especially in the alienation of state land to crony companies, since the time Abdul Taib Mahmud was chief minister. One example Chong cited was 269 acres of state land at BDC alienated to Monarda Sdn Bhd, a company owned by Taibs son, Mohd Abu Bekir, at a premium price of RM80 million when the value of the land in the open market was put at RM500 million. Another 32-acre plot of state land at Batu Lintang was alienated to Naim Cendera, another company linked to the Taib family, at a price far below the market price. The land is said to be worth more than RM900 million. “We don’t want to see another fine state land in a good location falling into the hands of cronies. So we want to see whether Adenan is a man of his word, and whether his policy is line with what he says,” said Chong. - Plan for site to be sent to the chief minister - Last month Adenan told the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) that he does not wish to see his family members get any state land, logging licences or government contracts and tenders while he is the chief minister. Chong said he would send a proposal to the chief minister to develop the Batu Kawa land into affordable flats for the poor, equipped with full recreational facilities and two primary schools. “We have taken the trouble to look for available state land and have taken the trouble to draw the concept plan. “I hope the chief minister will accept this proposal, and prove that he preaches what he says, or walks his talk,” Chong said. The proposed development, which is in line with DAP’s 10-point policy reforms that were given to Adenan, shortly after he took over as chief minister, to improve his administration. It proposes the construction of 104 blocks of five-storey residential flats, containing 30 units each, making a total of 3,120 units of affordable housing for the poor on the Batu Kawa plot. The plan also provides for sports facilities, including a public swimming pool, football field, running track, badminton halls and basket courts, as well as two primary schools within a five-acre plot each. Chong said 20 acres of the Batu Kawa land have also been proposed to be handed to the Chinese Middle Schools Management Board for development into shophouses to generate income for the school boards. He said: “It is proposed that the development of these flats be undertaken by a state-owned agency, such as the Borneo Development Corporation (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, under the supervision of the state Ministry of Housing. “All the units shall contain three bedrooms and two bathrooms and be sold at an affordable price of RM150,000 each to the poor under a ‘rent-to-own’ scheme, with the monthly rental or instalment payment per unit fixed at RM250 to RM400.” To further assist the poor to purchase the units, Chong added, the state agency could grant interest-free loans to these purchasers. on Malaysiakini (31/07/2014)
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 12:01:00 +0000
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