The state government's announcement on approval for 87 applications for land leases renewal in Kuching constitutes a bribery attempt that is against election rules, PKR candidate for Padungan Dominique Ng charged today.

"Coming on the eve of elections, I can only conclude this is a forced response brought about by the relentless pressure by the opposition on the government to return land to the people of Sarawak,' he told reporters at PKR's election operations room in Padungan.

However, he noted, the government's announcement 'meant nothing' as no details were given particularly on the rates payable, the duration of the extended leases and other pertinent terms and conditions.

Ng said the renewal's terms and conditions must be made clear at the outset to allay further fears and concerns adding the 87 applications that had just been approved were less than half of all expiring land leases in Kuching.

"What's happening to the rest of the applications for renewal? The authorities have conveniently forgotten to tell us about the remaining 90 leases which are also expiring".

Ng said he believed that if not for Saturday's state elections, he doubted that even the 87 leases would have been renewed.

Landowners whose leases are expiring, he said, are concerned over the premium rates payable and the authorities should spell this out instead of delaying.

According to him, residential lots require a payment of between 40% and 60%, based on market valuation of the property. "There is thus much concern about these premium rates to be paid to the government". For agricultural land, the rate is 25% of its current market value.

Ng said he is 'highly suspicious' of the state government's sincerity to renew all the leases. "It looks like the second batch of leaseholders may have to wait another five years".

Earlier, the state government had announced that it had approved the application for renewal of the leases by 87 applicants. The leaseholders were advised to submit their land titles for renewal within a period of one year effective from May 8 (the day before nomination day).

BN machinery concern

Meanwhile, in a written statement, PKR vice president Dr Xavier Jeyakumar said he 'was 'outraged at the deafening silence of the Election Commission on the revelation and evidence of phantom voters in the state electoral rolls'.

With only 72 hours left to polling, he said the EC had declined to address the issue , 'even though facts and figures have been collected and made public by independent election monitor, Mafrel'.

Further, said Jeyakumar, the arrival of the Umno party machine, led by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, has seen an increase in what he described as 'dirty tricks, bribery and abuse of powers'.

"We are concerned that the last three days will see an even sharper spike in dirty tricks and money politics," he said, adding the state BN would stop at nothing to achieve a zero opposition.

If the EC had any iota of integrity, it should put an immediate stop 'to all these dirty tricks and money politics and clear up the questionable electoral rolls lest it be charged with being a cohort of the state BN,' he said.