Johor Umno calls for transparency over bestowed land reclaimed due to unpaid taxes

JOHOR BARU (August 29): Johor Umno has no objections if the state government wants to reclaim land bestowed to the party if it is justified, said Johor Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Ir Hasni Mohammad.

The Malay Mail reported that he said that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian’s administration must show transparency and fairness on the matter.

“The action should not be selective in only targeting Johor Umno as the same action must also be imposed on all parties who had tax arrears or have failed to develop their land accordingly,” said Hasni in a statement late last night.

“I am sure the state government and the menteri besar does not want to be perceived as being unprofessional in this respect.

“But whatever the state government’s view of Johor Umno, the party will continue to give our best service to the people of the state,” he said.

Hasni, who is also the state Opposition leader, said that every gift and contribution to Umno, including land, would be utilized in programmes to benefit those in need.

“Johor Umno is not a profit-based capitalist movement. So, any development process to be carried out on land that was bestowed to the party must be done in the best possible way for the benefit of the surrounding community,” said Hasni.

It was reported on Monday that Osman said the Johor government could take action, to seize land bestowed to Umno as it was found to have owed backdated tax arrears of RM330,077 since 2006.

The daily reports that Osman also revealed Johor Umno owned a piece of bestowed land that had not been developed within the stipulated timeframe of two years.

The owner had also sold the land to another party.