The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) wishes to express concern over the numerous unsolved cases of fraudulent land transactions in the country. Despite the steady rise in these cases, hardly anyone has been prosecuted for these crimes. Since 2001, there have been about 180 recorded cases giving cold comfort to landowners towards the security of property ownership.

Surely with such number of cases, prosecutors should have been able to work out the modus operandi of these fraudsters. If they lack the expertise in handling these matters, then we urge the government to set up a special unit of forensic and conveyancing experts in the public prosecutors office to handle these cases.

It would seem that much of these fraudulent transactions are done by means of identity theft of the landowner or their representatives. There was a case where a man who had died in 1939 is known to have executed a transfer in 2005. To overcome this identity theft, CAP suggests that the government amend the National Land Code so that purchasers of landed property are required to obtain verification of the vendors’ particulars and thumb-prints from the National Registration Department and to produce this verification when presenting the transfers.

This may seem as an added burden but nevertheless it would provide a degree of security to landowners against fraudulent transactions. It may also prevent them from spending years in court recovering their properties. In short, this could help them be safe rather than be sorry.

The writer is president, Consumers Association of Penang.