He posed three questions to the state:
- Why admit defeat at the Federal Court when the Selangor government clearly has a great opportunity to win the case against the two companies earlier given the land? Earlier, in 2013 and 2014, the High Court and Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of the state. If the state wins, the state can obtain the full RM1.18 billion cost of the land.
- The price for the land and compensation paid is not fair. The value of the land is high now compared with the rate imposed long ago when the deal was made.
- What happened to the remainder of the RM1.18 billion after compensation had been paid to the affected settlers? Why pay to the two middleman companies which had failed to develop the land?
The land in Ijok was initially given to a group of settlers in the state in 1998 by the then BN state government.
The settlers then agreed to allow two companies, Mujur Zaman Sdn Bhd and LBCN Development Sdn Bhd, to develop the land in exchange for compensation and housing.
The land was later confiscated by the state from the two companies for failing to adhere to the terms to develop the land. The companies then went to the courts to settle the matter.
Selangor strategic communications director Yin Shao Loong claimed Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali’s decisive action had solved the Ijok land settlers’ 18-year dispute with the state government.
“The dispute which Azmin inherited was settled by selling the land to a qualified developer for RM1.18 billion, which allowed the settlers to receive compensation and their houses,” Yin said.
He added that by settling the disputes, Azmin had proven that he had looked after the welfare of the settlers who would each receive RM180,000 in cash and houses, now worth at least RM400,000.
Azmin said all documents related to the land had been handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) a few months ago.
He said this followed reports lodged by several non-governmental organisations demanding investigations be carried out into the issues.
”The state government has given its full cooperation. Now let’s wait for the investigation findings,” he said.
Ijok land: Umno caught on back foot over settlement, says Azmin’s aide