News by Sangeetha Amarthalingam

Following the Umech land sale controversy, the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) board, chaired by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, has instructed the management to prepare a paper to review the sale of land for projects that would be implemented on PDC land in the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 2 (BKIP2).

Even though the RM646.02 million land deal between Penang Development Corp (PDC) and Umech Land Sdn Bhd — a 70%-owned subsidiary of Sunway Bhd — has been cancelled, the state needs to explain how the controversial agreement came to be signed, the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) insisted on Wednesday.

Ramasamy said exposure of the controversial land sale is akin to opening “Pandora's box”, and that the more Chow attempts to defend the sale, the more it becomes “indefensible”.

Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu, who is making his election debut in the upcoming Aug 12 state polls, is so passionate and excited by the chance to stand as a candidate that the former deputy president and deputy CEO of Eco World Development Group Bhd said he would not be able to sleep — could not die peacefully even — if he had passed on the chance.

However, that is the court’s decision, says the prime minister.

"I have nothing to object because we want to learn the truth. So, now if PAC wants to reopen (the) 1MDB (probe), it is their right but don't go on a fault-finding mode," Najib told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

"We are stuck because of this so we cannot re-tender the project or else we have to pay them compensation."

"I didn't know about their resignation but what I read is that they resigned on the issue of principle because Khazanah was never set up with the intention of restructuring the economy."

Three months ahead of schedule...

"...but this CEP had summoned the former chief judge and told him to resign from his position, that was not just an advisory, that was an instruction of immediate resignation."