PKR's Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is questioning the alienating of two plots of land earmarked for institutional use for commercial development, and possible irregularities in the award of the plots to a developer with links to Umno.

Developer Primamuda Holdings has plans for commercial development on Lot 18, the former site of the Brickfields district police headquarters, Nurul Izzah said, and this conflicted with the status of the land.

Lot 18, which is owned by the government, is for institutional use only, specifically for housing and offices for the police force, she said.

The same company, added Nurul Izzah, had also courted controversy in 2008 when it was granted permission by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in March that year to develop the 2.1 hectare Lot 55 Plot A situated in Section 70, along Travers Road.

Lot 55, she explained was also land set aside for institutional use by the government and she expressed incredulity that commercial developments were allowed on land reserved for public institutions.

Land given free under swap deal

Nurul Izzah also pointed out concerns over the fact that Lot 18 was given sans charge to Primamuda in a swap deal for it to bear the cost of developing the new Brickfields district police headquarters on Jalan Travers.

NONE "What is the cost borne by Primamuda to build the Travers Road police station and the new district headquarters? Is it equal to the value of the Lot 18 land at Jalan Tun Sambanthan?"

The PKR vice-president also claimed that there may be a conflict of interest in the "surprising permission" Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) gave Primamuda to develop the two plots as news reports by English daily The Star pointed to a connection between the developer, DBKL and Umno.

The report, Nurul Izzah said, revealed that one of the directors of Primamuda was none other than the Umno Bukit Bintang division Wanita chief, Mariany Mohammad Yit, who once sat on the DBKL advisory board.

"Have her positions in DBKL, Primamuda and as Bukit Bintang Wanita Umno chief influenced the award of the project to develop Lot 55 and the Lot 18 land swap?" she queried.

Contacted by Malaysiakini the Primamuda director denied any irregularities.

"As far as I know, that transaction took place long ago and it is all legal. That deal was legitimate. I will read the news first and release a statement soon," Mariany said.

With additional reporting by Ahmad Fadli KC.