While we go to the polls, they rip us off in our sleep

Practically the whole country is focused on the coming general election due to be held on 8 March 2008. But while we look the other way, distracted by the intense election campaigning, some parties are quietly about to make RM4 billion from a property development that involves a piece of land belonging to the rakyat.


Posted: Raja Petra Kamarudin

Practically the whole country is focused on the coming general election due to be held on 8 March 2008. But while we look the other way, distracted by the intense election campaigning, some parties are quietly about to make RM4 billion from a property development that involves a piece of land belonging to the rakyat. And rakyat here means 26 million Malaysians, 11 million or so who are registered voters. Sadly though, only 8 million who will come out to vote this election while the other 3 million will just stay home to watch television.

But it will not be 26 million Malaysians who will profit from this development. It will be handful of people who walk in the corridors of power. And these handful of people are the man with two Muhammad's in his name who would like to be Malaysia's future Deputy Prime Minister, Anuar Zaini who runs the Malaysian government's propaganda machinery also known as Bernama, and the cronies to the powers-that-be.

In June last year, it was reported that a company owned by Hong Leong's Quek Leng Chan will be taking over the land which the Universiti Malaysia sits and will turn into a new township. The university would then be relocated to Sepang.

There was a big hue and cry and the government flatly denied such a thing was in the cards.

Everything went quiet for awhile. Part of the objection to this proposal was because of the 'sacred' status and sentimental value of Malaysia's first university. But what was even more of an objection was the fact that a Chinese company was going to become the beneficiary to a very valuable piece of government asset.

To quell the outrage, the government quickly denied such a thing was being planned. But the denial was a lie and merely meant to quieten things down for awhile so that alternative plans could be put into place.

Realising that the university land was a 'goldmine', other parties jumped in and last week they announced that the university would sell off 27.5 acres of its under-utilised land for a price of RM312 million or for a value of RM200 million plus a share of the developer's profit, whichever is higher. However, what was not revealed was that the Selangor State Government, which is supposed to be a joint-venture partner, would get only 10% of the deal while 90% will go to Muhammad son of Muhammad and Anuar Zaini. The state government company is merely a front to give an impression that this is a government deal and to avoid any more controversy while in actual fact certain individuals are going to profit from the entire arrangement.

Yes, while Malaysians sleep, while Malaysians get distracted by the 8 March 2008 general election, those connected to those who walk in the corridors of power are going to make billions while the government will get pittance in return. Is this not one more of so many reasons to cut Barisan Nasional down to size by denying it its 92% hegemony in Parliament?

It is time Malaysians demonstrate outrage and shout loudly, “NO MORE!” And this demonstration must come in the form of no longer allowing Barisan Nasional a landslide victory in the coming general election and by denying it its 92% hegemony in Parliament.

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Shock over township plan for UM campus

Malaysiakini, 13 June 2007

Former academician Dr Syed Husin Ali has expressed shock over news that Universiti Malaya (UM) will relocate its campus from Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, to a large swath of undeveloped land in Sepang Selangor. “I was shocked and a great number of the UM Alumni have expressed consternation on hearing that there is a plan to relocate UM to Sepang,” said Syed Husin in a statement today

The move is reportedly part of a property developer’s proposal to turn the 300ha campus into a commercial and residential township to complement its RM1.2 billion Damansara City project. According to Business Times yesterday, GuocoLand Bhd - a property developer controlled by billionaire banker Quek Leng Chan - has made a bid for the university grounds. Citing sources, the newspaper said the company intends to develop a commercial and residential township on the area, which has an estimated gross development value of RM10 billion. If the proposal is approved, the university will be relocated to the developer’s 4,860ha land bank in Sepang.

Syed Husin said: “Apparently, the plan aims to kill two birds with one stone, one, to maximise profits from the development of the present university site and, two, the sale of these bungalows and villas to university staff, which it would otherwise face great difficulty to dispose of. Presumably, it hopes to sell these to the university staff, if it succeeds in relocating UM.”

He noted that there is “little or no concern” over the impact of the move. “The intended relocation will certainly (disrupt) the lives of thousands of academic and non-academic staff of the university and their families,” said Syed Husin, a former lecturer at the university and now deputy president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

The campus was established in 1959, after the university was set up as an autonomous entity following its separation from the University of Malaya, Singapore. Although there were lobbies to site the campus near Johore Bahru and elsewhere, the location remained even after Universiti Malaya was officially founded in 1962.

“The UM has developed into an institution with a strong historical and academic tradition. It has served higher education well and contributed considerably towards the process of nation building. A large number of its graduates have been and are important political and administrative leaders of the country,” said Syed Husin. “Universiti Malaya and Lembah Pantai are one, the same and inseparable. There should be no attempt to separate them, especially if entirely for commercial purposes that will enrich only a handful few who are already extremely rich.”

GuocoLand's share price gained 87.3 percent six days prior to yesterday to RM3.26. Registered in Singapore, the property developer recently announced plans to invest US$5.4 billion in China. Meanwhile, UM vice-chancellor Rafiah Salim has denied receiving a proposal from Quocoland to develop Lembah Pantai, according to Sin Chew Daily today. The daily also reported Higher Education Minister Mustapha Mohamed as saying there would not be development in the area, describing the university grounds as having significant historical and cultural value.

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UM land more important than money

Dr Hsu Dar Ren, Malaysikini, 21 June 2007

I refer to the malaysiakini report Shock over township plan for UM campus. According to the report, a prominent developer has made a bid for the Universiti Malaya’s campus ground. The university authority has denied it and expressed shock over the report. I suspect even they may not even be privy to the proposal.

The piece of campus land situated in Lembah Pantai is indeed very valuable, and I tend to believe that there may have been a proposal to shift the university and develop the land, bearing in mind that there is no smoke without fire.

I am not a Universiti Malaya graduate but that is not important because I believe that it is the duty of every single Malaysian to defend the heritage of the country, and one such legacy is the Universiti Malaya campus. Businessmen, politicians, civil servants and indeed everyone of us must understand that there is something more valuable than just money. A heritage ground is one of these priceless inheritances.

No amount of money can be equated with a heritage ground. Money earned can easily be spent, but a heritage will remain forever as a symbol of a nation and it is what nationhood is about. Imagine a proposal to shift the Buckingham Palace in London. Even though it is situated within the one-square-mile golden city centre, the British will defend this building till the end of their nationhood. Imagine a proposal to shift Harvard University from its present campus in Cambridge, US. I think the whole of America will be in an uproar because the American heritage and the pride of the nation will be challenged.

There is a Chinese saying meaning ‘A gentleman loves money but you must earn it in the proper way’. Developers and businessmen, let me appeal to you - there is something more important in life than just making profit. Leave Universiti Malaya alone.

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UM seeks approval to develop under-utilised land

Bernama, 19 February 2008

Universiti Malaya (UM) said today it has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Higher Education to develop under-utilised land of 27.5 acres (11 ha) out of 900 acres (360 ha) of its main campus land. The successful completion of the development project is expected to provide UM with a minimum income of RM312 million or the land value of RM200 million plus a share of the developer's profit, whichever is higher, UM said.

It said in a statement that the Vice Chancellor, Datuk Rafiah Salim, on behalf of the university's Board of Directors (UMBD) and the university, sought the approval of the Minister on Jan 25 for the development project. The project, under a private-sector initiative, will be undertaken by a consortium by the name PPC-MINT-GLOMAC.

PPC-MINT-GLOMAC, a result of a merger of two companies, was recommended by Colliers International Property Consultants Sdn Bhd, which the university had appointed for an independent assessment. The two companies were from the three shortlisted by Colliers International to make presentations to UM Holdings Sdn Bhd Board of Directors (UMHBD) on Sept 27, 2007.

Initially, eight developers were invited to submit proposals for the development but only five submitted proposals. Colliers International was appointed by UM Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of UM that was incorporated in line with the government's plan for public universities to be financially independent.

UMBD has appointed Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Annuar Zaini to the board of UM Holdings and to chair with the aim to fulfil the corporate aspirations of the university. UMHBD also comprises Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong, Annuar Mohamad, Azhar Harun and Professor Dr Muhammad Zakaria.

Among the roles of UM Holdings is to plan, identify, explore, conserve, develop and enhance the university's assets. The university disclosed that UM Holdings had received many proposals for various types of development and projects. Several parcels of land were identified, and the 11 ha of land on Lot 10476 were chosen.

The university said the PPC-MINT-GLOMAC consortium, which made a presentation to UMBD on Oct 9, 2007, drew attention to the presence of the proposed University of Malaya Alumni Association (PAUM) clubhouse and the PALAPES (Reserve Officer Training Unit) camp on the land to be developed.

"This will affect the Master Plan of development of the consortium in relation to the land. UMBD acknowledged the concern of the consortium and recognised the need for UM to obtain optimum benefit to all in regard to the development of the land. With this in mind, UMBD recognised that both the PALAPES camp and PAUM's clubhouse need to be relocated to sites to be identified by UM," it said.

It also said that on 13 December 2007, UMBD said that subject to agreement by PAUM, the site for the building of PAUM's clubhouse and the PALAPES camp will be relocated to sites identified by UM.

"UM gives the assurance that this development will be transparent and all processes and procedures will be observed, and decisions made will be based on independent professional advice. Evaluations and recommendations are made by UM Holdings and UMBD but the final approval rests with the Government," it added.