‘DAP-led govt sold more state land than previous administration’
GEORGE TOWN: The sale of state land by the Penang government, including the one in Peel Avenue, became an issue at the state legislative assembly sitting here yesterday.
Barisan Nasional assemblymen rebutted allegations often spewed by the state government that it was the previous administration that had sold more state land than the present one.
There was pin-drop silence inside the august house when Datuk Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) revealed state land sold by the DAP-led administration.
“Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, had on last Thursday, denied that his administration sold more land that the previous BN-led state government. He claimed he sold only 42.44ha since coming into power in 2008.
“This is a lie. This is because existing records show he had sold far more land than BN.”
Farid said, according to records, the state government had sold:
42ha in Bayan Mutiara to Ivory Properties for RM1.07 billion in 2011;
0.44ha in Jalan Zainal Abidin to Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre Sdn Bhd
(KLIDC) for RM11.6 million in 2012;
Transfered 44ha in Seri Tanjung Pinang and Gurney Drive to Consortium Zenith BUCG as payment in kind for the RM6.3 billion three-paired roads and Penang Undersea Tunnel projects in 2013;
16ha in Batu Kawan to PE Land for RM65.34 million in 2013;
98ha in Batu Kawan to Aspen Vision (which Ivory Properties holds 49 per cent of the shares) for RM484 million in 2014;
12ha in Batu Kawan to Paramount Group for RM67 million in 2014;
188ha in Batu Kawan to Eco World for RM1.02 billion in 2014 (the agreement was subsequently cancelled by Eco World);
8ha in Batu Kawan to Singapore-based Jabil Group for RM30 million in 2015; and,
2.56ha in Peel Avenue to Island Hospital for RM156 million.
Farid said besides the sale of state land, the state government had allegedly alienated several pieces of land to private companies such as the state land in Relau to Titijaya (Titijaya is also believed to be given a piece of land in Gelugor by the state government) where the Telekom transmitter is located.
“Longer lease is given to private companies such as the Habitat project in Penang Hill, a section of the Pulau Burung landfill to TLB Terang and PBA land in Teluk Bahang for a theme park.
“Is this leased land made via open tender, or through negotiations?
“We are confident there are other land sold by the current state government without our knowledge,” he said, adding that there was talk that land worth more than RM10 billion had been sold since 2008.
“The chief minister should come clean and explain this.”
Speaking at a press conference, Lim denied that the Peel Avenue land was sold below market value, saying that the price was quoted by the Valuation and Property Services Department under the Finance Ministry.
“In fact, we use the price for freehold, which is much higher than the price quoted for a 99year lease.”