By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim kit Siang, in Penang on Tuesday,4th January , 1994:
Advertisement by Pangkal Permata(M) Sdn. Bhd. Is a confession that it had completely sold out all shopping units for Taman Midlands ‘One-Stop-Centre’ even before planning approvals by MPPP
Pangkal Permata (M) Sdn. Bhd the developer of Taman Midlands ‘one-stop-centre’ , took out the following advertisement in the local press yesterday:
“Pangkal Permata , The Developer of Midlands Park Project Clarifies Issues
Statement
1. We have received confirmation from the relevant authority that commercial units do not come within the purview and ambit of the Housing Developers (Control and licensing ) Act 1966. As such , the sale of commercial units does not fall under the Act (under such Act , developers of commercial units are not required to obtain Developer’s Licence and Sale & Advertising Permit). We are at liberty to handle all relevant transactions regarding the sales of commercial units.
2. It is common public knowledge that sale of commercial units are not bound by the said Act as have been practised by the Developers in the market.
3. As far as the residential units are concerned we hereby confirm that our company only accepts registration of names for the units.
The Management of
Pangkal Permata (M) Sdn. Bhd
This is a most remarkable statement and confession by the developer of Taman Midlands ‘ one stop centre’ , apart from the fact that it has taken Pangkal Permata (M) Sdn . Bhd about month to publicly admit that it had solg out all the shop-lot units.
In making this advertisement , Pangkal Permata is on the one hand justifying the sale of all the shop-lots while claiming that it had merely registered those who wished to buy the condominium units.
It should be very easy for any committee of Inquiry formed to establish whether Pangkal Permata had illegally sold out all its units for the Taman Midlands ‘one stop centre’ project – both commercial and residential – and unlawfully collected tens of millions of ringgit of booking fees in the form of ‘investment options’ by checking the relevant bank statements where such monies were banked in and interviewing the list of those whom Pangkal Permata now claims to have merely ‘registered’ as intending buyers of the apartment units.
What Pangkal Permata has not realised is that while claiming that it is legally justified in selling out its commercial units, it is in fact confessing that it had sold out shoplot units for the Taman Midlands ‘ one stop centre’ even before planning approvals had been granted by the MPPP.
In actual fact, these units were sold out even before the Memorandom of Understanding were signed between MPPP and Pangkal Permata (M) Sdn. Bhd. On October 30.
This is not only most improper and irregular, but raise questions about the integrity of the entire tender award. Only a developer who is absolutely certain that his plans – even though they had not been submitted to MPPP – would definitely be passed by the MPPP without any alternation would have dared to sell his commercial units , and this can only mean that the developer had the assurance and undertaking from the highest MPPP levels to be able to be so absolutely certain!
This in fact confirms the DAP statement that the MPPP had intended to give full planning approval in a period of a month from planning application submission on November 1 , 1993 if not for the fact that the DAP had given notice on November 23 that it would be making an issue of the Taman Midlands ‘ one stop centre’ project in the December meeting of the Penang State Assembly.
Tan Gim Hwa should declare whether MPPP had connived or condoned tha sale of the Taman Midlands one Stop Centre commercial units before planning approvals had been given by MPPP
The MPPP President, Datuk Tan Gim Hwa, should declare whether the MPPP had connived or condoned the sale of the Taman Midlands One –stop centre commercial units even before planning approvals had been given by the MPPP.
This is important and pertinent as the Taman Midlands projects was not only described as MPPP’s first privatisation project , the MPPP was publicy seen as associated with the Taman Midlands project as the MPPP crest was prominently displayed on the Pangkal Permata ‘s advertisements and billboard – until the DAP’s objection in the State Assembly in mid-December.
MPPP should revoke the Memorandum of Understanding with Pangkal Permata on the 99-year lease of Taman Midlands as the developer had breached a funds-mental condition of its Memorandum of understanding with MPPP in selling its commercial units without the consent of MPPP.
In actual fact , in selling all its commercial units even before planning approvals had been secured from MPPP , Pangkal Permata had breached a fundamental condition of its Memorandum of Understanding with the MPPP on the 99-year lease of the Taman Midlands site – which provided specifically that consent of the MPPP must be given before there could be any sale of the units of the Taman Midlands ‘ one stop centre’ project.
MPPP should revoke the Memorandum of Understanding with Pangkal Permata on the 99-year lease of Taman Midlands as the developer had breached this fundamental condition in its Memorandum of Understanding.
The MPPP should take serious note of the views expressed by the residents who would be affected by the Taman Midlands ‘ one stop centre’ Project who had a meeting on Monday night, and who unanimously expressed their objection and protest to the project.
The affected residents were most unhappy that the MPPP had allowed the Taman Midlands ‘ One Stop Centre’ project to go so far without any consultation with them whatsoever as a dialogue was only held on December 28. The affected residents also demanded that MPPP scrap the Taman Midlands “One Stop Centre’ project altogether.