PRESS STATEMENT
MARCH 17, 2010
MENTERI BESAR RELEASES CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ON
SUBANG RIA PARKThe State Executive Councillor (EXCO) meeting today agreed to declassify the minutes relating to the alienation of land in Subang Jaya, now known as Subang Ria Recreational Park.
The Selangor Menteri Besar had exercised his powers under Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972 to release the minutes of an EXCO meeting held in 1987 so that the public is aware of the decisions made by the previous government on the matter.
The minutes revealed that United Estate Project Berhad (UEP), now known as Sime Darby UEP, applied for 72.64 acres of land in Petaling (now Subang Jaya) in 1986 for recreational purposes. The premium price for the land was tagged at RM4.95 million.
However, UEP had asked for a discount of the premium and the then Petaling District Land Office (Pentadbir Tanah Daerah Petaling) advised the State Government to consider the company’s request as UEP had already spent RM10 million to build recreational infrastructure on the land and that the area would be for recreational purposes. It was further stated that a valuer’s report submitted then stated that the land is only worth RM1.575 million and if this value is used, the premium owed would be much less.
It was then proposed that 10 housing units (nine semi-detached houses and one bungalow) said to be worth a total of RM2.7 million, would be purchased from UEP as an exchange for UEP’s land premium. This exchange concept (“konsep timbalbalik”) meant essentially that UEP would make its land premium payment in kind instead of in cash.
The houses would be surrendered to the Selangor State Government, and gazetted as residences for the Petaling District Assistant Officers (Penolong-penolong Pegawai Daerah Petaling) and the Petaling District Council Secretary (Setiausaha Majlis Daerah Petaling). All 10 houses are located in SS19, Subang Jaya. This proposal was approved by the then State EXCO.
It is hoped that this declassification clarifies the manner in which Sime Darby UEP obtained its land titles for the land at Subang Ria Recreational Park. The past Selangor State Government approved the alienation of land based on consideration in kind which essentially means that Sime Darby UEP is the valid title owner of the land as approved by the then State Exco.
Although the current administration questions the ethics of the decisions made then and would not condone such practice in its current administration, nevertheless these decisions are binding and has to be taken into consideration in future decision making regarding the issue.
Sime Darby UEP has since submitted proposals on development plans on the land and is currently being considered by the state. As the rightful owner of the land, the State cannot stop them from making development plans. However, the State will ensure that the residents will not be deprived of their designated green lung area for the community’s recreational use.
Development in Selangor will not be done at the expense of the rakyat and the State Government assures that all decisions will be made with transparency and accountability and in line with the State’s “Merakyatkan Ekonomi Selangor” agenda .
PRESS SECRETARIAT
OFFICE OF THE SELANGOR MENTERI BESAR
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Teresa, it’s good that the PR took over this state and a few others as well.
Otherwise, sooner rather than later, everything will be signed away for a song!
However, having said that, the current Selangor government must also check whether anything was signed away too blatantly, i.e. too lop-sided.
I think that if it is so, then perhaps such agreements can be abrogated.