Selangor to MCA: Let’s have a land premium policy debate

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

October 01, 2011

In June, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had said owners would be given two options to pay their premiums following the expiration of the 66- or 99-year lease period. — allmalaysia.info pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — Selangor today challenged MCA to an open debate on the state’s policy regarding land premiums, after an MCA leader accused the state government of charging high premium rates for homes.

Selangor MCA publiccomplaints bureau chief Datuk Theng Book had demanded last month the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government waive land premiums to prove its sincerity in helping people.

He also argued that the state’s policy on land premiums went against section 76 (c) of the National Land Code — which states that the premium must be paid in full before land titles can be awarded to owners.

On June 1, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had said owners would be given two options to pay their premiums following the expiration of the 66- or 99-year lease period.

Under the first option, they would be allowed to renew the lease by paying the full premium at a 30 per cent discount.

The other option was to apply for the renewal of the lease at only RM1,000 and pay the premium only when the property is sold.

Calling Theng’s remarks “dumb”, Faekah Husin, who is Khalid’s political secretary, challenged the MCA man to an “open debate” on the matter.

In a statement today, Faekah explained that Selangor’s land premium options allowed greater flexibility for people in Selangor to own homes/property.

“When we decided to come out with legitimate land grants, we found there were people who could not afford to pay land premiums at the current rate.

“So we gave them two options — either follow the old scheme or the new scheme where you only need to pay RM1,000 to own a grant,” she said.

Faekah accused Theng of representing the interests of a few Barisan Nasional cronies who have not paid the land premium and who are now “agitated” that the current administration has cancelled their land deals.

MCA’s attacks against the Selangor government come just as top party leaders issued directives for an all-out attack on the federal opposition.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong told his youth wing today to focus on “exposing the lies of the opposition” and to make voters realise PR has been unable to fulfil past election promises.

MCA suffered its worst electoral defeat during the 2008 general elections where it lost 25 of the 40 federal and 59 of the 90 state seats it contested.