The government will buy back a plot of land in Bukit Chagar from Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar if he had paid for it, according to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
However, he added, if it had not been paid for then there will be no need to buy it back as it belongs to the government.
Speaking at a press conference after chairing Pakatan Harapan's presidential council meeting, Mahathir said the plot of land was required for Putrajaya's plans to construct the Rapid Transit System (RTS) from Johor Bahru to Singapore
"If he has paid, of course, we have to buy back.
"But if he hasn't paid, we won't buy back, it is our land," Mahathir said, adding the government has agreed to undertake a six-month review of the RTS project before a final decision is made to proceed or otherwise.
Mahathir said the government has yet to receive an official report on the land matter including on whether the Johor sultan had bought the land attributing the latter to "rumours" reported by the media.
Malaysiakini today reported that the plot of land which the federal government was supposed to own was now in the name of Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
Those familiar with the matter said the Johor Department of Land and Mines discovered this on Jan 28.
The land is one of five lots in Bukit Chagar that Putrajaya received from the Johor government in 2012 as part of a land swap deal to build the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ).
It is unclear when or how the sultan acquired the land but sources believe the title for the 4.5-hectare plot was transferred under the previous BN administration sometime between 2017 and 2018.
The sources said this means Putrajaya would have to fork out around RM495 million in compensation to acquire the land which it was supposed to own.
[More to follow] - Mkini
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