By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Monday, August 23, 1993:
Seven question for Dr. Koh Tsu Koon arising from the state government forfeiture of the land of the Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple
I have seven questions for Penang Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon arising from the state government forfeiture of the land of Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple:
Firstly, why was he, as Penang Chief Minister, not consulted before the final decision was taken to forfeit the land of 108-year-old Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple;
Secondly, why was he, as Penang Chief Minister, not informed after the forfeiture of the land of the 108-year-old Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple;
Thirdly, why he was unable at last Wednesday’s State Exco meeting to get a decision to annul the forfeiture and return the land to Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple without a single cent of penalty, as provided for under the National Land Code;
Fourthly, what premium and quit rent would the State Government impose as conditions for the re-alienation of the land to the Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple;
Fifthly, how long is the Bukit Mertajam Hock Teck Cheng God temple to continue as an ‘illegal religious building squatting on illegal land’ before the land title of the temple is retuned and legalised;
Sixthly, can Tsu Koon get the Exco meeting on Wednesday, August 25 to make the following two decisions :
(a) the temple land would be returned without dividing it into two titles, where only nominal quit rent of RM1 a year would be imposed; and
(b) the cancellation of the RM37,453.30 quit rent and fines.
Seventhly, the return of the land forfeited from Trustees of Mak Mandin Tamil Primary School Parents-Teachers Association for the Mak Mandin Tamil Primary School, as promised by Tsu Koon last week that the state government would return all land for forfeited from lawful religious and civic organisations at low nominal prices.