In Penang, serious questions over some land deals

In Penang, serious questions over some land deals
Malaysian Insider - March 26

When the Penang state government disclosed recently that it was revisiting certain land deals, the first name that escaped the lips of most people was the controversial Penang Global City Centre project. After all, the plan to turn this choice real estate into a mixed development of high-rise condominiums, bungalows, hotels and parks has been as popular as the plague.

But The Malaysian Insider has learnt that the state government is more concerned about a more down-to-earth project in the district of Penanti. As the story goes, land belonging to a clan association was “hijacked’’ by the previous state government and offered as a concession to a businessman in the quarry business.

How the state government or Land Office approved this transaction, bearing in mind that the land belonged to a third party, is unclear.

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