Umno seeks transfer of land held in trust by Dr M, Daim and 2 others

 

Umno has an 85.88% stake in Seri Pacific Corp Sdn Bhd, which owns the Seri Pacific Hotel through RHB Nominees Sdn Bhd. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Umno has filed an originating summons in the High Court seeking a declaration and order for the transfer of a 9,723 sq m plot of land in Kuala Lumpur where the Seri Pacific Hotel is located.

According to a report by The Edge, the land is held in trust by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the late Daim Zainuddin, Musa Hitam and the late Sanusi Junid.

The originating summons was filed by Umno’s executive secretary, Sumali Reduan, on March 6 through the law firm of Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.

In the application, Sumali is seeking a declaration that the property with grant No 78154 on Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur, is registered in trust under the names of Daim, Musa, Mahathir and Sanusi.

He is also seeking an order for the property to be transferred to Umno in accordance with Article 27.1 of the party’s constitution, that the ownership of the land be granted to Umno, and for the federal territories land and mines department to give effect to the order and other relief deemed fit by the court.

A case management was held today before senior assistant registrar Nur Shasha Hidayah Nor Azhar, where a representative from the Attorney-General’s Chambers entered an appearance for the federal territories land and mines department.

A further case management has been fixed for May 2.

In his affidavit in support of the application, Sumali said Form 17 for the land transfer had been signed by the four trustees on Oct 22, 2015, but Sanusi and Daim died on March 9, 2018, and Nov 13 last year, respectively.

“I am made to understand that the federal territories land and mines department initially approved the transfer from the trustees to the party.

“However, the transfer was rejected on May 18, 2017 on the grounds that the name (of Daim) as in the registered grant is not the same as in the identity card (which appears as Che Abdul Daim Zainuddin),” said Sumali.

He said he had been advised by lawyers that there had been an error in the registration of the name.

Sumali said Umno has a beneficial interest in the land, and the department should rectify the issue and register the land to the party.

“There is no mala fide (bad intention) or misrepresentation by me (as the applicant) and Umno in the registration of the land title, as it is only to validly enforce the law and finalise the re-registration of the land from the four trustees to Umno,” he said.

Umno has an 85.88% stake in Seri Pacific Corp Sdn Bhd, which owns Seri Pacific Hotel via RHB Nominees Sdn Bhd. - FMT