Samy Vellu implicated in alleged land grab in Selangor

SHAH ALAM, Nov 20 — Selangor backbenchers today accused Barisan Nasional component parties and former MIC President Datuk Seri Samy Vellu of allegedly being involved in land grabs when BN was still in power in the state.

The allegation involves 24 plots of public land in seven out of nine districts in Selangor, which were acquired by branches and divisions of Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan between 2000 and 2008 when the state government was administered by BN.

Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim challenged the BN component parties to return the land to the public to prove that they really have the interests of the people at heart.

“They have to prove that they are true fighters who are sincere to the people ... not give empty talk ... fighting for the people, but then grab their land,” he said.

Each plot of land measures up to seven acres and has a collective total area of around 33.5 acres, mostly in commercial areas.

The plots were allegedly sold for only RM1 per square foot — amounting to around RM1.5 million in total — despite being worth at least RM20 million collectively on the market, Ng said.

“All of them are high value properties ... after Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan obtained the land, they would immediately enter joint-ventures (to develop them) or sell them off for tens of thousands or millions of profit,” accused Ng.

Of the 24 plots, 15 are now owned by Umno branches or divisions, with six of them going to Umno Sungai Besar division, which was led by former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Khir Toyo.

“This shows that Umno is the king of land robbers,” Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei said.

MCA holds five plots, MIC three and Gerakan one.

Datuk Seri Samy Vellu (picture), together with an S Subramaniam and the late Tan Sri SOK Ubaidullah, who was one of MIC’s founders, are named as the trustees for a 2,832 square metre plot in Kuala Selangor.

The biggest plot in the list is a seven-acre piece of land in Klang, which is owned by the Umno Kota Raja division, followed by a 6.5-acre plot in Batu 14, Puchong, which is owned by the Umno Puchong division.