Dr M decries 'slander' over Seri Pacific land transfer to Umno

Summary

• Dr Mahathir Mohamad denies claims he blocked the transfer of Umno land held in trust, saying all trustees, including himself, had signed the necessary documents in 2015.

• He said the process stalled in 2017 due to mismatched names on the land title and criticised Umno leaders for allegedly not reading the legal filings.

• In response to remarks by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Puad Zarkashi, Mahathir accuses them of lying and slander, calling on Umno members to reconsider their leadership.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad decried “slander” after being accused of refusing to sign off on the transfer of Umno land that he is holding in trust for the party.

He said that contrary to the allegations, he and the other trustees already signed the necessary papers in 2015.

However, the process was stalled in May 2017 when it was found that there were names in the land title that did not match the names on their identity cards.

Mahathir suggested that the Umno leaders accusing him of obstructing the transfer process did not read the legal papers filed by the party’s executive secretary Sumali Reduan.

“I don’t know what to say about their level of thinking.

“Firstly, they didn’t read the originating summons that Umno filed through Sumali. The lawsuit names the Registrar of the Federal Territory Land and Mines Office as the defendant, not me.

“Secondly, in the supporting affidavit filed alongside Umno’s summons, it is stated that the application for consent to transfer land ownership dated Oct 27, 2015, includes a declaration signed by all four trustees, including me,” he said in a statement today.

On April 10, Bernama reported that Umno was suing the Registrar of the Federal Territory Land and Mines Office to compel it to execute the transfer of the 9,723 square metre (0.97 hectare) plot of land to Umno.

The plot is located at Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur. It is presently occupied by Seri Pacific Hotel, located adjacent to the land occupied by the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre and Menara Dato’ Onn, which houses Umno’s headquarters.

The four trustees of the land are the late Daim Zainuddin, the late Sanusi Junid, Musa Hitam, and Mahathir.

A day later, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed one of the trustees is refusing to relinquish the land to the party even though other trustees have done so.

Without singling out any of the trustees, he said individuals appointed as trustees should relinquish their responsibilities after no longer holding positions in the party or government.

Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi wrote on Facebook that Mahathir must return Umno’s property.

“It is a breach of trust if he refuses to sign the release document. He was supposed to return it in 2008 because he left Umno for the first time in 2008.

“Has he no shame? He accused other people of all sorts of things. That is not personal property,” said the Johor speaker on April 12.

‘Endless lies and slander’

Mahathir said the statements by Zahid and Puad should prompt Umno members to reconsider their choice of leaders.

“I have previously sued Zahid for defamation because he lied to damage my reputation. Now Puad wants to join.

“Have they no shame with the endless lies and slander?

“But if this slander is because they don’t understand, perhaps Umno members should reconsider whether those who like to lie are qualified to continue to be the (Umno) president or Johor assembly speaker,” he said.

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