High Court Orders Transfer Of Land Title From Tun M And Three Other Trustees To UMNO

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today ordered that a 9,723-square metre parcel of land in the capital, previously registered in the names of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, Tun Musa Hitam, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the late Tan Sri Sanusi Junid as trustees, be transferred to UMNO.

Justice Roz Mawar Rozain made the order after UMNO’s counsel, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, informed the court that the applicant (UMNO) and the respondent (Federal Territories Land and Mines Office Registrar) had agreed to resolve the matter by way of a consent judgment.

“Accordingly, the court records the parties’ consent judgment, and the transfer of title is to be effected within 30 days,” Justice Roz Mawar said during the proceedings, which were also attended by UMNO’s co-counsel, Norhazira Abu Haiyan.

According to the draft consent order obtained by the media, ownership of the property is to be transferred and registered in the name of UMNO, together with all rights, interests and title therein, under Section 9(b) of the Societies Act 1966.

On March 6, UMNO’s Secretary of Works, Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan, filed an originating summons seeking a court order for the transfer of title to Grant 78154, Lot 40, Section 51, Bandar Kuala Lumpur, registered in the names of four trustees, to UMNO under Clause 27.1 of the United Malays National Organisation Constitution and Section 9 of the Societies Act 1966.

UMNO also sought an order directing the Federal Territory Land Registrar or Land Administrator to effect the transfer by entering a memorial in the title document.

In his supporting affidavit, Mohd Sumali stated that under Form Schedule 17, an application for approval to transfer the land dated Oct 27, 2015, together with a statutory declaration dated Oct 22, 2015, was executed and affirmed by all four trustees.

He further affirmed that two of the trustees, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid and Tun Daim Zainuddin, have since passed away, on March 9, 2018, and Nov 13, 2024, respectively. 

According to Mohd Sumali, the then office bearers of UMNO, namely the President, Deputy President, and Secretary-General, had agreed via a statutory declaration dated Dec 10, 2015, to have the property re-registered in the party’s name.

He added that a letter from the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office dated Dec 28, 2015, confirmed that the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Land Working Committee had approved the proposed transfer of title from the trustees to UMNO.

However, the subsequent attempt to effect the transfer via Form 14A, dated April 25, 2016, submitted by UMNO’s solicitors to the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office was rejected on May 18, 2017.

He said the stated reason for the rejection was a discrepancy between the names listed on the land title and the corresponding names on the identity documents.

-- BERNAMA