SINCE Malaysia’s 14th General Election on May 9, the public has been inundated with one revelation after another on an almost daily basis. Never in our wildest dreams did we envision such transparency and honesty coming upon this country we call home. We were told that the government knows best and we should let them handle things.
We were told that the government would do what was best for the rakyat and had our best interests at heart.
How wrong we were to believe all the fodder we had been fed for so long. The current government is busy digging into all the shenanigans of the previous administration. In fact, they seem so busy digging up stuff, I wonder whether they actually have any time left to do some governing.
Almost on a daily basis, another misdeed is uncovered and made public. Just when you think the worst is over, a new plot is uncovered. And we are being told now that all these are just the tip of a very large iceberg. This is frightening indeed. To think that we mortgaged our country and our future to a bunch of people who somehow managed to convince us that they were acting on our best interest.
The property world has not been spared its own set of shenanigans. The mother of all troubles is generally property-related. 1Malaysia Development Bhd and closely related cousins the Tun Razak Exchange and Bandar Malaysia. Much has been said about these and the matter has been hashed and rehashed all around the globe.
But equally disturbing is the allegation that various parcels of lands in and around Kuala Lumpur have been transferred to third parties at values much lower that their market rates, on a direct negotiation basis, without any open tenders.
Kuala Lumpur is a crowded city. There is only so much land available. No one is making any more of it. What we have is what we will always ever have. This is a fast depleting commodity. Surely we must exercise care and concern when disposing of it.
If we keep giving away the land that we have at prices which are way below competitive rates, what will happen when we eventually run out of land?
If the allegations are indeed true, then stern and decisive action must be taken against the culprits. The government must come down on them hard and fast. The message must be clear. Dishonesty will not be tolerated. Action will be taken against all wrong doers and justice for the rakyat must be served.
The rakyat is waiting with bated breath for all these allegations to be investigated fully and for action to be taken against anyone found to have done something wrong. Nothing less than this will satisfy them.
We have put our trust on a fresh bunch of people. We expect these people to perform. We expect results. We expect them to carry out the will of the rakyat without fear or favour.
Here’s to Malaysia Baru. A new hope dawns in the heart of every Malaysian. A hope for a better tomorrow. A hope for a better future for our children. A hope for better governance. A hope for us to become truly world-class, not just in developments but also in culture, our way of life and the way we think.
If all these hopes and dreams come true in the next few months or years, I am confident that we will see our property market stabilise and grow stronger. As the country improves, much of the uncertainties in the market will vanish and the market will find itself on a much stronger and stable footing.
If all goes well, as I am confident it will, the next few years we will see the property market surging forward and upwards.
Until then, happy hunting and may the force be with you.
The writer is a real estate practitioner who tries to manage the labyrinth of the property market honestly while consistently maintains a high standard of ethics in his practice.He welcomes feedback via [email protected]
