Rubber board again denies ‘land scandal’ claims
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) has again denied allegations of a “land scandal”, stressing that their decisions had followed the right process, including the involvement of its board of directors. It added that the board will not hesitate to take legal action on allegations by former chairman Ahmad…
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) has again denied allegations of a “land scandal”, stressing that their decisions had followed the right process, including the involvement of its board of directors.
It added that the board will not hesitate to take legal action on allegations by former chairman Ahmad Nazlan Idris, who had accused plantation industries and commodities minister Khairuddin Aman Razali of interfering with the board’s handling of two parcels of land it owns.
MRB again stressed that no lease agreement or sale and purchase transaction has been signed with any party on the two lots of land located at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Previously it said that, for Lot 20013, a lease offer was made through an “open and transparent tender” by LGM Properties Corporation (LGMPC), a corporation owned by MRB, last October. Al-Noor Foundation was selected after making the highest bid.
Meanwhile, in a statement today, MRB said the foundation’s majority shareholders were Malaysians and that the company did not belong to Turkish individuals as alleged by Nazlan.
It also said the minister in a letter on Jan 7 had instructed that the lease period be extended to 15+10 years and for it to be reopened for Request For Proposal (RFP) to the companies involved in the tendering process, but no decision had been finalised yet.
According to MRB, under Section 14 of the Malaysian Rubber Board (Incorporation) Act 1996 (Act 551), it was responsible to the minister and that the minister can give out instructions to it.
MRB said, therefore, the former chairman’s claims of interference by the minister were not accurate.
There have been allegations that Khairuddin approved the lease of two plots of land at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur owned by MRB, below the market rate. The minister has since lodged a police report over these allegations.
An NGO has alleged that Khairuddin approved the lease for Lot 20013 to Al-Noor Foundation at a price of 70 sen per sq ft, compared with the market price of RM2.50, for a period of 15+10 years with a 10% lease rate increase every five years.
The NGO also claimed that Lot 20012, with an area of 8.89 acres, was proposed to be sold to Eurowhite Sdn Bhd at a price of RM1,032.92 per sq ft, which is said to be below the market price of about RM1,400 per sq ft. — Free Malaysia Today