‘Conflict of interest’ in Brickfields land swap deal, says Nurul Izzah

By Ida Lim

April 26, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar alleged today there is a conflict of interest in a land swap deal involving the old Brickfields district police headquarters land in Jalan Tun Sambanthan which has been transferred to a company she said is owned by an Umno leader.

Nurul Izzah speaks to reporters at the site of the old Brickfields district police headquarters on April 26, 2012. — Picture by Choo Choy May

The government-owned land will be given to Primamuda Holdings Sdn Bhd, according to a recent parliamentary reply obtained by Nurul Izzah.

A Primamuda director, Mariany Mohamad Yit, was reported by The Starin 2008 as also being Bukit Bintang Wanita Umno chief and a Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) advisory board member, the MP told reporters here.

“Did her position in DBKL influence the decision of awarding Primamuda this premium land?” asked Nurul Izzah.

She said: “How do we know whether Primamuda paid a reasonable amount in exchange for this land? It’s not disclosed to the public, the media or in Parliament.”

Under the land swap deal, Primamuda would receive the prime Tun Sambanthan land in exchange for building police stations in Jalan Travers.

Nurul Izzah also stressed that the Brickfields police headquarters was demolished last year even before the land transfer was finalised.

The PKR vice-president said the Brickfields land rightfully belongs to the police.

She also said government land zoned for institutional purposes should not be converted to commercial use.

“I’m quite sure it has been earmarked for development of a high-rise building and it will add to the congestion here.”