The PKR lawyer added that the appointment had nothing to do with the Selangor government.
He said Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications (BNSC) deputy director Eric See-To had only to read his comments dated Feb 23 to know that it was the settlers who had appointed his firm to act for them.
In a statement yesterday, he said claims that there was a possible conflict of interest was both false and mischievous.
This followed Barisan Nasional’s (BN) criticism of the Selangor government’s move to return disputed land worth RM1.18 billion to two housing developers in 2016, despite the High Court and Court of Appeal ruling in 2013 and 2014, that it belonged to the state.
On Feb 24, See-To said Sivarasa could have excused himself from representing the settlers due to a possible conflict of interest.
“Did this law firm (Sivarasa’s Daim and Gamany) tell the settlers that their land was going to be sold for RM1.18 billion and that the two companies that had failed the settlers for 18 years would be getting RM880 million while the settlers would only get RM300 million?” See-To said.
Sivarasa said Faekah Husin, an aide to former Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim, had falsely suggested that it had been decided that his firm would act “for the transaction”.
“If ‘the transaction’ is the sale of the 2,200-acre land from the current owners to the white knight developer, both parties, seller and buyer, had their own lawyers. My firm only acted for the 980 settlers at their request to protect their interest,” he said.
“My firm’s responsibilities included receiving the amount of unpaid compensation due to the settlers and ensuring that each of the settlers received their dues. That has been done.
“Our job was also to ensure that the settler’s entitlement to houses was protected through written agreements between each settler and the white knight developer. We have also done this.”
Sivarasa also said he would get legal advice on the allegations and “innuendoes” in the statements made by See-To and Faekah.