Dr M: RCI tried to make me look like a kleptocrat but failed

PETALING JAYA: DAP leaders want a former MCA leader to clear the air on a plot of land alleged to have been bought by MCA well below market price in the SS25 area here.

Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said Chew Mei Fun was the previous MP of his constituency when the transaction took place in 2007 and 2008.

He explained she was part of the district-level land committee which oversaw the allocation of land.

“Such land committees function in every district together with the district officer, the MP and state assemblyperson for the area,” he claimed.

“Even if she does not know anything, as an MCA party leader, she must make a stand if such dealings are acceptable,” he added.

Chew was PJ Utara MP from 1999 to 2008.

Pua was referring to a 0.4ha piece of state land at SS25, along Sg Kayu Ara here, which he claimed the Selangor MCA bought for RM1 per square foot (psf) instead of the market price of RM400 psf.

Pua held a press conference on the matter at the Damansara DAP service centre here today together with Damansara Utama state assemblyperson Yeo Bee Hin.

Pua said if he had been involved in such dealings he would have resigned.

“As an MP, I am supposed to protect state properties for the people,” he said, adding that political parties should not be buying properties for prices far below the market value.

Asked if he and Yeo would take the matter up with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC), Pua said the purchase of the property was legal as it was approved by the then state government.

Furthermore, he said the state government and the land office had the right to determine the price of the land.

“But usually this RM1 psf offer is given only to religious bodies to build places of worship.”

Yeo also urged Chew to break her silence on the land deal as she was the MP when the transaction took place.

Yeo said she had discovered the purchase of the land in March when MCA requested that the Petaling Jaya City Council rezone it for commercial use.

Attempts by FMT to contact Chew for comment failed. Earlier, FMT sent a WhatsApp text message to Chew regarding the first press conference held this week by Pua and Yeo on the matter. She did not respond.