The conundrum of freehold title of Perakians...

Press Conference by the State Assemblyman for Canning and DAP Perak Publicity Secretary YB Wong Kah Woh on 23.03.2010 (Tuesday) at DAP HQ Ipoh:

I have submitted a question to this coming State Assembly regarding the Barisan Nasional Perak Government stance on the issue of issuing freehold title to Rancangan Rumah Tersusun and Chinese New Village in the state. The original text of the question sounds:

“Ramai warga Negeri Perak yang mempunyai hartanah di Kampung Baru dan Kampung Tersusun telah menyerah balik suratan hakmilik hartanah mereka kepada Kerajaan Negeri pada tahun 2008 untuk tujuan pemberian hakmilik kekal oleh Kerajaan Negeri pada ketika itu.

(i) Sila nyatakan samaada Kerajaan Negeri berhasrat untuk meneruskan polisi pemberian suratan hakmilik kekal kepada warga Negeri Perak yang memegang hartanah di Kampung Baru dan Kampung Tersusun dan alasannya; dan

(ii) Apakah status pemberian suratan hakmilik kekal bagi mereka yang telah menyerah balik suratan hakmilik hartanah mereka kepada Kerajaan Negeri pada tahun 2008 untuk tujuan pemberian hakmilik kekal.”

Despite the fact that the current State EXCO Dato’ Mah Hang Soon had given his open concurrence and agreement, during the time he was in the opposition, over the issuance of freehold title and which he had even further suggested “for more” – a 90% discount on the Premium payable instead of 80% discount as adopted by Pakatan Rakyat, he has failed to walk the talk when turning into power and the Barisan Nasional State Government has refused to continue the implementation of the freehold title policy adopted by Pakatan Rakyat during the 10-months-regime.

The Barisan Nasional had in Decemer 2008 through its National Land Council objected to the freehold title policy in Perak, the Barisan Nasional especially UMNO had blamed that the then Perak Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Mohd Nizar bin Jamaluddin for giving away lands to the Chinese community in Perak by adopting the freehold title policy, and the Barisan Nasional had eventually formally put a stop to the freehold title application in the State after the grabbing of power. All these clearly show that Barisan Nasional is still confining themselves in the racial circle, and has no Political Will to continue the good policies set up by Pakatan Rakyat.

If Barisan Nasional has no political will to do, we will do it after we come back into power. However, the refusal of BN in continuing this policy had caused uncertainties, difficulties and hardship for the Rakyat who had earlier surrendered their original title back to the State Government and submitted their application for freehold title and which the BN State Government is obliged to answer and resolve. We have received complaints and I quote 2 cases here:

Appendix:

Case 1：

A resident in Kg Simee had in the month of July 2006 paid the Premium of RM1705.00 for the extension of 60 years leasehold title. In January 2009, he has surrendered the title back to the State Government for the issuance of new freehold title at the estimated cost calculated at RM3285.00.

He received a letter from Ipoh Land Office 3 weeks back whereby the Land Office requested him to make an extra payment of RM1616.00 to procure a 99 years leasehold title. In other words, while the title is still with 57 years lease left, the BN Government had charged another RM1616.00 on the resident for another 42 years lease (because he will only get 99 years lease calculating from 2010, whereby the 57 years unexpired lease is considered burned). Bear in mind, the estimated cost for him in getting a freehold title with security of Property which no renewal in future is necessary, is around RM3285.00 only.

This has caused a dilemma on the resident. His intention from day one is to get the freehold title, and yet he was now offered 99 years which practically had made no difference with the leasehold title he is holding. It is only a matter of time for the lease be expired although both might not expired until after this resident passed away. The dilemma is that: if he wants back the title, with no choice he has to take the 99 years lease as offered and pay RM1616.00 for the title which is practically extended for 42 years; or he will have to face the risk of the title being retained or even forfeited by the State Government.

BN is to be fully responsible for this.

Case 2:

There is another case from Kg Simee. The leasehold was expired in year 2009. The landowner was given 2 choices: either he needs to pay an estimated cost of RM8000 ++ for a 60 years leaseholdor pay RM13000 ++ for a 99 years leasehold title. Comparing this figure with PR’s offer for freehold title, for the same piece of land, the landowner needs only to pay an estimated cost of RM11,000++.

If BN is for the People, why do they slash the People on this? Wouldn’t be it is ridiculous for a 99 years leasehold be more expensive than a freehold title?

Case 1: refer appendix Case 2: refer appendix

The above cases show that the Rakyat are not only not getting freehold title from the BN State Government, they will even need to pay more than what they are supposed to pay under the PR’s freehold tile, for only a 99 years old lease. Some of them who only wish to apply for freehold title and do not wish to have further leasehold as the current lease are still long way to expiry. They are stuck in between, whereby they cannot get their freehold title as wish, and they are facing the risk of their original being retained or even forfeited by the State Government if they do not pay for the premium f the extended lease as offered as the title had been surrendered.

The Rakyat want an explanation from BN over this issue. It is utmost important for Barisan Nasional to answer the questions on freehold titles and to allow more supplementary questions be asked in the assembly. Let’s walk the talk.