Perak Menteri Besar Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir today exposed the existence of a syndicate duping people with regard to approvals for housing, mining, quarrying and logging land.

He said members of the syndicate were also believed to be using titles such as “Datuk” and “Dr” that were false on their name cards to lend themselves credibility and issuing documents which purportedly stated that the state government had approved the land applied for by the victims.

“We don’t dismiss the possibility of inside people also involved in this scam,” he told reporters after chairing a state executive council meeting in Ipoh today.

Zambry said the syndicate members were also said to be making direct phone calls purportedly to the menteri besar in front of the victims in order to convince them.

He urged the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to continue investigating the matter so as to stop the scam although there had been cases that were already brought to book.

He also urged the public if they became suspicious of individuals who approached them with such claims, to refer the matter directly to the Menteri Besar’s Office or Land Office.

“Such cheating cases have been reported to me by members of the public who came to see me at my ‘Klinik Dr Zambry’ every Tuesday. They said they were told to make payments for the land they had applied for,” he disclosed.

Zambry said through the Meet-the-Clients Day and ‘Klinik Dr Zambry’, the public could verify any claims involving transactions for land applied to the Menteri Besar’s Office, District and Land Office, and any other related agency to avoid being cheated.

- Bernama