FELDA’S JLN SEMARAK LAND UNDER REGISTRAR’S CAVEAT
Move to protect land ownership interests, says Felda chairman
POLICE and the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) have applied for the authority’s four plots of land, currently at the centre of a contentious deal, to be placed under a Registrar’s caveat to protect the interest of the land’s ownership.
Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad told the New Straits Times that he was at the Federal Territory Land Office yesterday to submit an application to transfer the caveat of the land in Jalan Semarak here.
“I have met the deputy director and submitted our application to transfer all the land in Jalan Semarak to be under the Registrar’s caveat. We were informed that the police have already placed the land under the Registrar’s caveat yesterday (Tuesday),” Shahrir said.
He said it was important for the land to be registered under the Registrar, instead of a private caveat.
The law defines a land caveat as a “mechanism that prevents the registration of the transaction under the National Land Code to protect the interests of certain parties”.
It also states that “for land under a private caveat, any person or entities could claim rights to the land or register interests”.
The Registrar’s caveat, on the other hand, is entered to prevent fraud in dealings, misrepresentation and misuse of the land entitlement. It also protects the interests of, among others, the Federal Government and state governments in terms of debt claims and land revenue arrears.
Yesterday, Shahrir said upon discovering the deal, Felda immediately placed private caveats on the land involved.
Evaluators have put the current market value of the Felda land at RM1 billion. The land deal, however, involved RM200 million.
On whether any member of Felda’s board of directors knew about the land transfer, Shahrir said, to his knowledge, they only found out when the issue was raised.
Berita Harian had, on Dec 21, frontpaged the dubious land deal.
“There were ongoing discussions between FIC (Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd) and Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd even after the land transfer was done, but they (Felda’s board of directors) were never informed about it... even the SPA (sales and purchase agreement),” Shahrir said, adding that there were four SPAs — one in December 2015 and three in November last year.
He said an audit, which would be carried out by a third party, would start next month, and would “reveal who was responsible in the land transfer, who knew about the deal and if anything was done about it”.
“I am confident that we will be able to get the land back because it was a ‘land grab’.
“The legal advice that was given to us was that a fraud had been committed.
“Even if the company had the power of attorney (PA), they are still our agents.
“They may have full PA, but as agents, there is a limit to what they can do.”
On the police’s move to place the four plots of land under the Registrar’s caveat, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said it was a standard operating procedure for all investigations involving land matters.
“It is just one of the procedures when investigating a case like this.”