“The party did it legally. I don’t see any problem.
“MCA is providing services to the public,” she told reporters when asked if it was right for Selangor MCA to obtain 0.4 hectare of state reserve land at RM1 per square foot (psf).
During a press conference at Wisma MCA here, Chew was also asked to clarify if the price of RM1 psf for state land was only applicable when the land is purchased by religious bodies, as claimed by Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua last week.
“This is something claimed by Tony Pua. Please ask him to check his facts.
“Obviously, whatever he says against me and many of the facts raised are wrong,” Chew said.
She also advised the media to contact Selangor MCA for more details pertaining to the purchase of the land.
Chew was Petaling Jaya Utara MP at the time the sale of the land was approved in early 2008, prior to the general election in March 2008.
She later lost her seat to Pua.
Damansara Utama state assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin had claimed that Chew, as the MP, should have known about the sale of land to Selangor MCA at below market value.
To this, Chew said she never denied Selangor MCA had applied to buy the land.
“I know they applied for a piece of land. But the application was not handled by me.
“I do not have the authority to deal with the land matter,” she said.
Pua had also said last week that he was not against any political party buying a plot of land or building on it but that it should be purchased at market value.
Basis for RM400 psf price?
When contacted, PJ Utara MCA chairman Tan Gim Tuan said he would reply to the allegations by Pua and Yeo on the purchase of the SS25 land soon.
Tan, however, asked Pua to clarify on what basis he claimed the land was valued at RM400 psf.
The land in question is beside Sungai Kayu Ara in Kampung Chempaka, SS25.
Tan was also asked about claims made by Yeo that the issue of the land purchase only came to light after Selangor MCA had applied to rezone the land for commercial use this year.
“She does not understand the facts,” Tan said, repeating that he would release a statement on the matter soon.