Penang tycoon Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping has been linked to the company which illegally cleared land in Bukit Relau.
A search with the Registrar of Companies (ROC) revealed the 67-year-old steel and garment magnate as one of four directors of General Accomplishment Sdn Bhd (GASB), which owns lot 11396 measuring 22.89 hectares.
On Saturday, Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) revealed the company's connection with the land along with landowners Boon Siew Sdn Bhd (BSSS), which owns adjoining lots 34 and 303.
Equally prominent, and one of Penang's pioneer developers, BSSS claimed it was "never involved" in any land activities at "all material time" on the said lands, including clearance and earthworks.
"Our client merely granted limited access to the landowner (GASB) as requested by the said landowner. Our client was not aware of any land activities that were carried out on the said land as claimed by MPPP. We will cooperate with the local authorities and seek legal redress on the said matter," said BSSS lawyer Lim Choo Hooi.
The search on GASB lists Tan's wife Lim Yuit Eow, 56, Datuk Khor Eng Chuen, 49, and Ginney Chew, 34, as directors of the RM2 company set up on July 8, 2011. Its nature of business is listed as dormant.
The document also shows that GASB, located at Menara BHL Bank on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, had a charge worth RM10 million placed on it with the chargee being Boon Siew Credit Berhad on Oct 30, 2012.
The land had been cleared since February, and expedited before and during the general election.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation exco Chow Kon Yeow had appealed to the people to grant the authorities time to reveal details of the land deal and assured there was "no protection" rendered to the landowners.
He said the state was awaiting accurate details of the landowners from the State Survey and Mapping Department as legal action was due.
However, a visit by The Malay Mail to the State Land and Mines Department and Northeast District Office on Thursday revealed that the information was easily obtained.
Last week, MPPP secretary Ang Aing Thye said the landowner had been slapped with a stop-work order on April 24.
Ang said the landowners would be taken to court for failing to submit earthworks plans as required by law.
He said they could face action under Section 70A of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, which is punishable by five years' imprisonment, or a fine of RM50,000, or both.
There is also a daily punitive fine of RM500 that the court may impose.
- Malay Mail
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