Where Art Thou Ft Minister And Kl Mayor

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 In 2019, when Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai accused the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) of selling 42 plots of land during Annuar Musa’s eight-month tenure as the Federal Territories minister, the denials and related information came fast.
But with DBKL’s denial came more information - 97 transactions of land belonging to DBKL, carried out before 2020, that did not involve the then minister.
Last month, when a balloon seller was injured in a scuffle with DBKL enforcement officers, three officers were put on leave for their involvement in the incident along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Maimunah Sharif said the decision was made after a meeting with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
ADSA responsible minister and an equally answerable statutory body, one may think. But what about other issues raised in the past?
Sneaking in unsustainable development
In 2019, lawyer Derek Fernandez said the gazetted Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 included 273 approvals that were not in the original drafted plan.
The approvals included matters on increased plot ratio and density levels, which were beyond Kuala Lumpur's carrying capacity.
“This permits unsustainable development and makes DBKL’s rules to empower the public, and the right for the public to object 'illusionary'”, said Fernandez, who specialises in local government matters.
In December 2021, Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, who is now the communications minister, raised a stink about the alienation of several plots of land in Kuala Lumpur that were supposed to be used as flood retention ponds.
Communications Minister Fahmi FadzilIn his statement, Fahmi attached a list of six retention ponds alienated for development projects, such as mixed development projects, affordable housing schemes, recreation parks, and service apartments.
The six retention ponds were the Batu pond, Nanyang pond, Delima pond, Taman Wahyu pond, Batu 4 1/2 pond, and Taman Desa pond.
Has he conveniently forgotten that he is on the “other (right)” side?
DBKL and Jakel deals
But rewind to the controversy over the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple off Jalan Masjid India, where DBKL maintained stoic silence on how the land ended up in the hands of Jakel Trading.
Fast-forward to last month: Lawyers Ambiga Sreenevasan and N Surendran asked the government to disclose the sale and purchase agreement for the sale between DBKL and Jakel.
ADS"We have good grounds to believe that the release of the sale and purchase agreement may substantially assist towards achieving a resolution of the situation, in addition to ensuring public accountability and transparency regarding the sale of government land to a private entity," the duo said in a statement.
Putrajaya and DBKL played dumb – refusing to address the request. Why? One can conclude that it would have revealed many secret dealings in the land transaction and would have revealed the history of the land on which the 130-year-old temple is on.
Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Kuala LumpurOver the past two weeks, Malaysiakini published two articles detailing the transactions involving the sale of large tracts of land to the same company.
The Kuala Lumpur Velodrome land and the land on which DBKL’s health clinic was situated were sold in 2017. Perona Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Jakel, placed a caveat on this land in 2013.
And again, DBKL has chosen to remain silent to the many questions despite an undertaking given by Norhaslinda Nordin, the head of its Corporate Planning Department to provide answers.
FT minister’s approval needed
Why does DBKL pick and choose when it comes to issues raised in the public interest? Who is it protecting?
The answer can be found in the proceedings at the corruption trial of former Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor in 2019, where former mayor Ahmad Phesal Talib testified that land belonging to DBKL could not be sold without the consent of the Federal Territories minister.
Adnan was found guilty by the High Court but on appeal, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision.
Phesal, who served as mayor from July 18, 2012, to July 17, 2015, said under the Local Government Act 1976, local authorities had the power to sell, lease or dispose of any of their movable or immovable properties, but any sale or alienation of immovable property without the consent of the state authority.
"Under Section 2 of this act, the interpretation of state authority is in relation to Federal Territory, meaning the minister responsible for the local government (who at the time was Adnan)," he said when reading out his witness statement.
There was a time when BN leaders and their cronies could do no wrong, especially those from Umno.
The all-powerful minister must have knowledge of all land transactions of DBKL and hence be privy to details such as prices, changes in the status of the land etc.
Where is transparency?
Surely, such details exist in DBKL’s files and despite being admonished so many times, why is it not reopening the files and become answerable to the taxpayers?
What about the senior officers and directors who handled these transactions? Will they say “saya hanya menerut perintah” (I only followed orders) to escape scrutiny?
Why is Zaliha holding back, especially since she reacted so graciously and sympathetically to a street vendor? What about the mayor? Shouldn’t she be looking at dealings by her predecessor, or is she protecting some of them or some current employees whose hands are tainted?
FT Minister Dr Zaliha MustafaDozens of plots of land worth billions have been gifted, alienated, or even stolen at the people's expense.
Is the silence due to the political alliance within the unity government, or is she reluctant because of the warlords within the parties that wield so much power?
What about Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has been quick to point out the flaws and mistakes of previous administrations, claiming the nation lost billions to crooked politicians and cronies?
Is it empty talk or selective persecution, as Perikatan Nasional leader Hamzah Zainudin has repeatedly said?
More worms will be coming out of the woodwork, and we need a competent exterminator who acts without fear or favour and is armed with the latest equipment and techniques. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who tries to live up to the ethos of civil rights leader John Lewis: “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Comments: [email protected]
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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