The special executive team - set up last week to get to the bottom of the alleged land fraud cases that took place in Penang during the previous state administration - has directed relevant government departments and agencies to hand over all documents on land dealings for the past decade or more to facilitate its probe.

dap baju kurung pc 140206 p ramasamy Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P Ramasamy, who is among those sitting in the three-man high-powered investigating team, said the team which started its probe on Tuesday has issued directives to the relevant departments and agencies to hand over the documents as soon as possible.

The special team expects the departments and agencies to give their fullest cooperation to facilitate its investigation on the alleged land scam that sent shockwaves in Penang.

"We cannot start a thorough investigation without the relevant and valid documents on affected land dealings

"We have issued directives to relevant departments and agencies to hand over the documents to facilitate our probe," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

The DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat government set up the special investigating team when it found out that an earlier probe by the Anti-Corruption Agency on the alleged land improprieties "was not up to mark."

"We were not satisfied with the ACA investigation.

"It's findings were shallow and its recommendations for legal action were not appropriate and proportionate with the improprieties committed and colossal monetary loss,'' said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng when announcing the setting up of the special team headed by Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin.

State executive councillor Phee Boon Poh is the third member of the team.

'Tens and tens and tens of millions'

Once the team completes its investigations, government insiders have indicated that Penang would be rocked by a major land scam involving millions.

They claimed that Penangites would be in for a shock to discover the extent of misappropriation of land and public funds.

jeff join dap pc 310707 guan eng "The land scam has caused colossal financial losses to the state government running to tens and tens and tens and tens of millions," Lim had said.

It's learnt that the special team's directives for land-deal documents were issued to both the island and mainland municipal councils, state secretariat, state land and mines department and district and land offices.

Government officers involved in the alleged land dealings are also expected to be called up to assist investigation.

Former deputy chief minister Abdul Rashid Abdullah (2004-2008) was the executive councilor handling the land portfolio under the previous state administration.

All official executive documents on land dealings in Abdul Rashid’s Komtar office were among the files that had allegedly gone missing from most executive councilors’ offices immediately after Barisan Nasional was voted out as the ruling state government on March 8.

The present state government learnt about the land scam when perusing documents available at the state and district land offices and state secretariat.

Former Gerakan deputy secretary-general and Jelutong MP Lee Kah Choon added more fuel to the fire when he queried about the deafening silence of the previous state administration on the land fraud issue.

"I'm surprised like everyone else on why the previous state administration has been so silent on the issue," he said.

It is said that improprieties happened in the acquisition, conversion, development and title transfer of land with the bulk of the cases allegedly taking place on the mainland.

Ramasamy assured that the special team would scrutinise each case thoroughly without prejudice and would propose appropriate and proportionate legal action.

"We will carry out our investigations fairly to safeguard public interests," he said.