An advertisement placed in a local Chinese daily for the sale of a plot of land on Penang's Pulau Jerejak has fuelled speculation that there will be further development projects on the island, in light of the state's pledge to gazette the island as a permanent forest reserve.
Headlined "EOI (expression of interest) to sell offshore land”, the advertisement was published together with a map of Penang in Kwong Wah Jit Poh yesterday.
Pulau Jerejak is marked on the map as the approximate location of the land which is allegedly on sale, although it is not identified by name.
According to the advertisement, the land measures 26.5 acres in size and can be reached within a short time from Penang Island by boat. It was also stated that the land provides a clear view of the Second Penang Bridge and the mainland.
“The land is one of three remaining private land plots on the island. The rest of the island will be gazetted as forest reserves,” said the advertisement.
It added that the land has high development potential and is suitable to be developed for various purposes, such as private, commercial, and recreational use.
A property consultant is named as the exclusive sales agent and the deadline to express interest in purchasing the land is 12pm on July 6.
The Penang executive council has agreed to gazette 82 percent of the 887.5 acres of land on Pulau Jerejak as a forest reserve.
'It’s not ours'
When asked, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng denied that the state had alienated a new plot of land to the private sector for redevelopment.
He also denied that the state government, which owns most of the land on Pulau Jerejak, was selling any plot of land on the island.
“As far as I know, the land offered for sale is not part of the 80 acres belonging to Tropical Island Resort Sdn Bhd (TIRSB)," Lim told Malaysiakini.
TIRSB, the largest private owner of land on Pulau Jerejak, is jointly owned by the Penang Development Corporation (49 percent) and UDA Holdings (51 percent). PDC recently sold its stake to Q Island Development, a property developer under Ideal Property Group.
Currently, 80 acres of land on Pulau Jerejak owned by TIRSB have already been earmarked for redevelopment.
PDC, the state development arm, has yet to transfer its shares to the private firm as the latter has yet to pay PDC for its shares.
“If there is any change of ownership of the land, PDC will definitely be notified,” Lim said.
He revealed that TIRSB had already submitted its application for planning permission to the state government, which is still pending approval.
Meanwhile, Ideal Property Group and UDA Holdings Berhad, who are slated to redevelop the TIRSB land on Pulau Jerejak also denied that they were responsible for the advertisement placed in Kwong Wah Jit Poh yesterday.
Boustead Shipyard’s land?
Various parties have speculated that the plot mentioned in the advertisement is linked to Boustead Penang Shipyard Sdn Bhd.
Boustead is the second-largest owner of private land after TIRSB on Pulau Jerejak. It owns two lots of land, measuring 20.20 acres and 5.48 acres respectively. Both are categorised for use under business and industrial purposes.
“The plot of land in the advertisement is probably linked to Boustead Shipyard,” said Lim.
Ideal Property Group COO Simon Ong Eng Chye also told Malaysiakini that the land on sale does not belong to the firm, claiming it was a “Boustead land".
Lim said that if the land does belong to Boustead, he is unsure why the advertisement in Kwong Wah Yit Poh would claim that the land has “high development potential” when it is only reserved to be used as a shipyard.
“We will not allow the shipyard land to be converted for other uses,” he added.
In a document sighted by Malaysiakini, the North East Penang District and Land Office stated that Boustead’s land on Pulau Jerejak can be used solely as a shipyard, including any buildings erected on the land.
The proprietor of the land is also not allowed to erect any building on the land without written consent from the director of the Land and Mines Department.
Malaysiakini has tried to verify the matter with Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation by phone and email.
The group’s corporate communications has responded, saying they are yet to read the relevant advertisement and cannot provide any confirmation at the present moment.
Boustead Penang Shipyard Sdn Bhd is a 100 percent subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur company Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation.- Mkini
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