Your Lands Are Not Safe Anymore
Land scam syndicates -- for so long the scourge of administrators and land owners -- have again reared their ugly heads.
Having previously been linked to key personnel in local land offices to help facilitate their shady deals, it has now emerged their reach has extended to law firms as well banking institutions.
In the latest case, one such syndicate ensnared Pesaka Astana (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Rafie Sain and wife Datin Murnina Sujak as their unsuspecting victims.
The couple are now locked in a struggle to get back their land, worth millions, after a series of discoveries. These include:
A lawyer from Sungai Petani, Kedah, was holding grants for three plots of Murnina's Bukit Jelutong land
Another plot of land, worth RM1 million, was sold to a woman, known as 'Elizabeth' for RM130,000 without the couple's knowledge
After Murnina had urged the Petaling District Land Office to remove a caveat by 'Elizabeth', the caveat was back in place an HOUR later!
The discovery of an additional bank account registered under Murnina's name at her local branch
The Malay Mail had contacted the couple upon receiving information regarding a series of fraudulent land transactions involving lands worth millions in the Klang Valley. They confirmed the incident happened last year.
Murnina said she had lodged police reports after four plots of their land in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, were apparently put on sale last year without their knowledge.
She received another rude shock after learning there were two accounts registered under her name at her local bank instead of one.
"I was informed that a male lawyer based in Sungai Petani had the grant for three plots of land belonging to me in Bukit Jelutong. Apparently, the lawyer obtained the grants from a female lawyer who is also based in Kedah."
Shady land deal classified as a scam
Murnina contacted the female lawyer who willingly returned one of her land grants without asking her any questions.
"When I met the female lawyer, she confirmed the person who went to her office to strike the land deal was not me. The person who impersonated me met the female lawyer in Penang and KL, and was accompanied by another person, known as 'Albert', in March last year.
"I was shocked when the lawyer returned one of the land grants without even looking at my identification card!"
The same lawyer was supposed to meet Murnina again on May 6 last year to hand over the remaining two grants but did not show up, claiming she had a sick uncle to visit in Perlis.
"Two weeks later, I received the remaining grants from the lawyer and I have not heard from her since."
It is also learnt a member linked to the syndicate had liaised with the female lawyer via email on March 12 this year on matters related to a land deal.
Murnina said the Sungai Petani-based lawyer had meanwhile contacted her husband on April 27 last year and claimed he had a buyer for all three plots of their land, only to find out there was a caveat on them.
The Sungai Petani lawyer claimed he was assured the caveats could be "removed".
"We were shocked. How can someone else have our land grants without our knowledge?" said Murnina.
"While the three plots of land are now safe, the other land has apparently been sold to an Elizabeth. The market rate for the 10,000 square feet land is about RM1 million but we found out Elizabeth bought it for only RM130,000 without our knowledge!"
Investigations show Elizabeth had applied for a caveat on Jan 21 last year, hardly a month after Murnina sold the piece of land to a buyer on Dec 3, 2009.
The caveat entered by Elizabeth stated she had signed a sale and purchase agreement with a "Murnina" on Dec 16, 2009.
"The buyers of my land checked the land status with the (Petaling District) land office before signing the sales and purchase agreement and it was fine. A month later we were told there was a new owner called Elizabeth.
"I queried the officials at the land office and they removed the caveat by Elizabeth. Hardly an hour later, the buyers of my land checked with the land office only to find out a caveat was back in Elizabeth's name!"
"Who can I trust? We lodged police reports last year but we've not heard from anyone since. Can people steal land just like that?" questioned Murnina.
Murnina and Rafie have made attempts to meet Elizabeth but to no avail. Murnina and the buyers of her land are now in the midst of filing a third party suit against Elizabeth.
When contacted, General Director of Lands and Mines (Federal) Department's assistant director (land management and legislation section), G. Rajeswary, confirmed the matter was classified as a land scam.
She said the matter would be sent to the complaints unit of the department, which is under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.
The issue has also drawn the attention of Bank Negara which have contacted Murnina's bank to ascertain how an account could have been fraudulently opened under her name.
In a statement, the bank confirmed they had been contacted by Bank Negara. "We will be investigating the matter as soon as possible." - MalayMail