KUALA LUMPUR: DAP has questioned Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad’s decision to supposedly offer an option to the owner of two illegal buildings in Medan Imbi to buy over the land.
Party chairman Tan Kok Wai said the government should have instead reclaim the two plots of land and demolish the buildings, which he claimed was a nuisance as it causes inconvenience to the public.
The owner had alleged built the two buildings on government land without prior consent.
He lamented that the buildings — a six-story office building and a restaurant — did not have sufficient buffer from the road, and it also lacked parking bays.
“I don’t think the minister’s decision is right to let the owner of the buildings to buy over the land, which was previously a public park. The owner should not be given an option. He should rethink how the matter should be best resolved. He must demolish the buildings and allowed it to return to its original form of a park,” he said after launching a Sports Toto Chinese New Year Ang Pow donation campaign here today.
Khalid had on Wednesday gave an ultimatum to the owner of the buildings to buy the land at market price and settle the fines that would be imposed, or the title would revert to the rightful owners, which is the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office.
He had also said it was an abuse of power by the previous administration that had allowed the company to build the two buildings.
Khalid also called on the owner to come forward by month’s end to resolve the matter.
The plots of land, Lot 568 and Lot 716, are estimated to be valued around RM20 million with a combined area of 0.145ha.
Tan demanded that the ministry divulge further details regarding the construction of the buildings and on whether they had obtained the necessary approvals from the government.
“I don’t know how planning, building and other approvals could have been given in the first place, but if they were (given), serious questions need to be answered. And if not, then can the building continue to exist?” he said.
Khalid could not be reached for a comment.
