KUALA LUMPUR: Felda non-governmental organisations have expressed relief at the return of the Jalan Semarak land worth RM270 million to Felda, after more than a month of disputes surrounding the land’s transfer of ownership.
They nevertheless want the authorities to get to the bottom of the case, identify the guilty parties and bring them to justice.
Felda Malaysia Youth Council president Muhammad Fadzli Hassan told the New Straits Times that while they are happy at the return of the land, they were pinning high hopes on the perpetrators being caught soon.
“Those guilty must be brought to justice. They cannot be forgotten just because the land was returned to Felda. The youth of Felda views integrity very seriously and we hope the issue is kept alive.”
Integrity, he said, needs to be upheld in a case like this as it has been the main thrust of Felda members.
“The management of Felda under chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad has to be commended for their good work in returning the confidence of the settlers by addressing this issue.”
The National Felda Settlers’ Children’s Association (ANAK), on the other hand questioned why developer Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd (SPSB) had returned the land to Felda so easily.
ANAK president Mazlan Aliman said the return of the 16 plots of Felda land by Synergy Promenade to Felda was proof that the ownership transfer of the land was illegitimate from the beginning as the developer did not defend their ownership of the land.
“Felda must establish what were the benefits, if any, promised to Synergy Promenade as Shahrir had, on Dec 21, said the Felda board of directors had decided to put a stop to the Kuala Lumpur Vertical City (KLVC) project.
“Yesterday (Monday) however, Shahrir said the development project would be allowed to proceed.”
He said it did not make sense for the developer to return the land without enjoying any benefits on their part.
He urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and police to continue with the investigation regarding the land ownership transfer in 2015.
“Any individuals or Felda management who have committed a crime must be charged as the transaction was tainted with fraud.
“The return of the land does not clear the name of whoever was involved and the crime they committed,” he said.
Berita Harian, in an exclusive report late last year, broke the story that Felda was at risk of losing ownership of the piece of land worth more than RM200 million following what had been described as a “dubious deal” in 2015.
The plot of land, which had been earmarked for the KLVC development project, will feature seven towers, including Felda’s iconic tower, to be known as KLVC Tower 1A.
The ownership transfer of the land took place when FIC Sdn Bhd appointed SPSB as its main developer on June 3, 2014, and it was granted full power of attorney to develop the land.
On Monday, SPSB returned all plots of land involved on Jalan Semarak and all documents related to the parcels of land alienated to the developer to Felda, at no cost.
The KLVC project would also proceed as the land has already received approval for development as would the investigation on who was behind the controversy.
