When discussing the RM1.5 billion PGCC scandal along with the scandalous rezoning from “recreational” land to “new development”, we cannot afford to ignore what was going on in Batu Kawan, which is closely connected to the PGCC saga.
The PGCC and Batu Kawan deals reveal some highly questionable circumstances.
During a meeting between Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and activists a couple of days ago, I suggested to the Chief Minister that the state government initiates an in-depth probe to uncover the business-political connections in the PGCC-Batu Kawan deals while thoroughly examining the re-zoning of the Batu Gantung land. For there is more to these deals than meets the eye.
It is important to recall that Abad Naluri did not actually own the Batu Kawan site in 2002 when it submitted its tender to the Penang Turf Club. After all, the principal or master agreement for the acquisition of the Batu Kawan land from the PDC was only entered into in 2004.
Now let’s look at this revealing chronology of events – including the changes in the political leadership in Putrajaya during the crucial 2002-2004 period:
2002
May 9 – Abad Naluri submits tender for Penang Turf Club’s relocation and sale of Batu Gantung land. The tender letter, signed by a politically well connected individual in the firm then, claims that Abad Naluri would build a new race-course for the Penang Turf Club at a 250-acre site at Batu Kawan, which it says has already been “approved” by the PDC. Who exactly signed the “approval letter”?
June – Mahathir annouces shock decision to quit. Umno issues statement confirming that Mahathir will be replaced by his deputy Abdullah Badawi towards the end of 2003.
Nov 25 – Turf Club EGM approves sale of Turf Club land in Batu Gantung and acquisition of Batu Kawan site.
2003
March 21 – Preliminary agreement said to have been entered into between the Turf Club and Abad Naluri. Under this agreement, Abad Naluri pays advances totalling RM10 million, presumably as “compensation” to Turf Club members.
Nov 1 – Abdullah Badawi formally takes over as PM from Mahathir.
2004
Jan 16 – Penang Development Corporation enters into a ‘master agreement’ to sell about eight parcels of land on the mainland in Batu Kawan, totalling over 1,000 acres, to one very “fortunate” company, Abad Naluri. One of these parcels, measuring 300 acres, is for the new racecourse site. The purchase consideration for this parcel is later said to be RM46 million.
On what basis was 1,000 acres of potential prime land allotted to one firm?
Mar 21 – Abdullah Badawi cements position as PM after leading BN to landslide victory in general election.
May 12 – Agreement entered into between Turf Club and Abad Naluri for the sale of the Turf Club land in Batu Gantung on the island at a low, low “recreational land” price of RM43 per sq ft. (Why would the Turf Club sell to a property developer at such a low “recreational land” price when it knows the latter is going to develop the land? Doesn’t make sense, unless…)
2005
July 5 – Layout plan for Batu Kawan race-course approved by MPSP even though terms of PDC’s actual S&P agreement with Abad Naluri not yet finalised.
2006
By Sept/Oct – Abad Naluri submits application for planning permission re PGCC on the Turf Club land.
Draft Penang Structure Plan indicates that rezoning almost a done deal – apparently and amazingly without any application from the developer.
Nov 12 – Abdullah Badawi officiates at the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed second bridge site in Batu Kawan, which by a happy ‘coincidence’ happens to sit right next to the proposed Batu Kawan race-course site and close to Abad Naluri’s other parcels of land.
2007
June 28 – Conversion of Turf Club land from recreational land to “new development” is gazetted under the Penang Structure Plan, turning PGCC developer Abad Naluri into instant billionaire firm, after spending only RM10 million on the land!
Oct 17 – Prime Minister Abdullah launches PGCC project, flanked by then Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon, Patrick Lim and the Abad Naluri chairman – even though acquisition of Turf Club land not yet completed and work on Batu Kawan race-course has barely begun.
Now, after all this, don’t you think that Guan Eng has strong grounds to look again at how the re-zoning of the Turf Club land to “new development” was carried out – and how over 1,000 acres of Batu Kawan land was allotted to Abad Naluri? I believe he shouldn’t worry about compensation claims from Abad Naluri as he stands on much stronger ground, considering the business-political connections behind the Turf Club-Abad Naluri-PDC deals and the highly questionable re-zoning.
Onward towards the Penang People’s Park!
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go to hell, patrick lim badawi…
ABAD NALURI
A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BAD _ _ _ + N _ RI + _ _ _ ALU _ _ _ _
Hi Anil,
You’ve asked a RM1.5 billion question.
Keep up the good work though. I’m still patiently waiting for answers for all the questions regarding PGCC/Batu Kawan land scams that you’re raised on behalf of all Malaysians, especially Penangites.
Some time back, I did read in MSM an article that mentioned that a certain Bkt Bendera UMNO division chairman has a business interest in the PORR project. As a layman, I don’t really have the resources to confirm this. Maybe, you or others out there (NGOs included), who have much better resources can dig up this issue.
With or without evidence ? The nature law will take care of BN. 308 tsunami, the coming soon 916 earthquake. Don’t play play with the righteous. No way to hide and no way to run lah. Whatever you said, now you’ve to swallow back. Whatever you took from Rakyat, now you’ve to vomit out. Faham ! Whatever the Rakyat suffer, now you’ve to suffer for the rest of your life. Faham !
Dear Anil, Thank you for reminding us how sleazy the whole deal was from the beginning and how Koh Tsu Koon was a willing accomplice of these pirates in their attempt to plunder Penang. In my view the CM is relying too much on the State Legal Adviser when he declared that the government may be required to compensate the Turf Club for the ‘loss’ if the status of the land is changed to what it was before. Other more experienced lawyers have differed and I think Guan Eng should seek alternative opinions. Let us not forget the the Legal… Read more »
Dear “Anil”
I couldn’t agree more with your call that Lim Guan Eng set up a special comm. to investigate this matter further. This is to protect public interest and more importantly,confidence in the new Penang state Govt.
I would also like your help to expose another similar high profile land alleged scam development under the previous Penang State Govt. and PDC. The project is the Bayan Bay developmentland at Sg.Nibong,Penang.
If you are interested our comm.can make available all the documents for you to examine.
Kindly let us know how you want to meet up.
Thank you,
CB Do.
in my opinion it is a waste of time and resources to look back on the chronology of events and to find fault of others. its a wise move to relocate racecourse to bt.kawan so less jam in penang. in terms of pgcc the planning is not approved yet. let the relevan mppp’s personnel comments and if it doesn’t comply then only scrap the project or the best thing if the government really want to help people in penang take over the land and build affordable houses with sustainable environment. did you know that landed terrace house in penang selling… Read more »
Anil – I am glad that the team has made an effort to meet the CM. Use the opportunity always.
Maybe, but with a friendly judge on the bench, God knows what these UMNOputras and their cohorts will get away with.
Dear Anil I think we have reached a point on this subject where only positive action will count. We have analysed the project close to, if not, its actual death! LEG should immediately assemble a small team of 5 highly qualified and experienced expert professionals comprising a CA, a Lawyer, A Land & Development Engineer, a Real Estate Valuer and an expert in local government by laws and procedures. Their brief should be to go through the A-Z of the PGCC project from its start to the current situation and come up with a legally correct way to restore the… Read more »
It is a long bumpy road Unearth the wrong doings of the past The power that is wielding it menacingly The connected cronies zoned it to their kind The big guns must be exposed Take the documents and minutes Let the people know what had been done Serving cronies not for the people The scams of many Terengganu oil money $3.3 billion from 2004-2007 It can’t be explained thus far Now with Abad Naluri in Penang Hit the gong worry about it later 1000 acres to one company If it doesn’t smell fishy I don’t know what to label it… Read more »
That’s a good one, Anil. Below, is a copy of the comment in malaysia-today.net website.
SDR YB LGE and SDR ANIL should use their respective training in Chartered Accountancy to do some forensic investigations “CSI” style and the WHOLE TRUTH will be out in the open.
Bloody hell!! This is a land scam that stinks to high heavens.(borrowing DSAI’s statement made on the the verdict of the most famous trumped up charge in the most kangarooed court that the WORLD had ever witnessed)
I sense that witch hunting is wrong in all aspects. However, we must know the truth. It’s becoming like BN folks are continuing saying that the system is at fault and not them. Let the truth prevail. Otherwise, we will still be making the same mistakes over and over again. I
Bangsa Malaysia is very proud of you.Those umnoputras are retarded 3 yrold; the racialist political parties will be unrelevant soon. Document all their corrupt dealings and BR will know what to be done. If BR did not take actions it means that they failed to uphold their promises to the rakyat.
By the way, does this ree guy/gal knows what is he/she talking about wasting time looking at people’s fault? To nab the real wrong doer at the very top is the most important and all documented evidence is required to achieve this. If the umnoputras are doing it in Penang, it’s a known fact they’re doing it all over the country, this must be exposed!!! The rakyaat must know how much has been siphoned off after all these years and the wrong doer must be made to pay back!!!
Great job Anil.
Lim Guan Eng,
Remember your promises before GE.
Let us turn PTC into people’s park. The rakyat are with you . Don’t let those rogues get away.
Koh really left behind buckets of s*** and worms. Koh Tsu Khoon, I do not have any respect for him and colleagues left. His wife is no better. Why donate to those Bakti fellas who are flush with cash. If she gave away to those Nyanmar or China disaster victims, every one would appreciate it. Now as it stand, we no longer trust any BN fellas. (A lot of) VULTURES AND LEECHES.
Penang is over developed and too congested anyway.
A lot of effort, brainpower and manpower is needed to correct all that is wrong with Penang.
Don’t waste it:)
There are many land scandals in Penang. I personally know a case, an industrial lot in Prai owned by the state was sold at dirt cheap price to a UMNO politician and then resold to a Japanese businessman at market price.
My friend is broker for this land sale deal to Japanese, but his brokerage fee was snatched away by a Chinese Datuk.
Yes, yes, yes, LGE must look back but he cannot don’t look ahead. Hope that looking back will help Penang move forward, while not forgetting that hungry stomach has to be fed now.
Good luck and GOD bless Penang richly.