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news without borders
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: The family of the late Datuk Zakaria
Md Deros, who built a mansion in Port Klang, will
have to give up their garden.
The land, measuring 2,269 sq m (equivalent to
half an acre), was ordered to be handed back to the
state government following a state executive council
meeting yesterday.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibra-
him said the state has ordered the Klang Municipal
Council to issue a notice to Zakaria’s family to return
the land as well as a compound for trespassing
state-owned land.
Khalid said the records showed that the district
land commitee had, on Dec 14, 2007, declined the
family’s application for the land and told them that
if they wanted to appeal, they could do so to the
state exco.
However, he said the family will be allowed to
stay on 4,047 sq m (comprising eight lots ), owner-
ship of which was granted to Zakaria and his wife
Datin Azizah Ngah following a state exco meeting
on July 3, 2003.
We did all we could for tennis event, says state govt
by Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: The state government will care-
fully study privately-organised projects before
endorsing them, state tourism development,
culture, arts and heritage committee chairman
Law Heng Kiang said yesterday.
This follows the failure of the Asean Cultural
Centre event at the Pesta site, and the cancel-
lation of the Kings of Tennis event, scheduled
to be held at the Esplanade from tomorrow to
Sunday.
Law said incidents like these will reflect badly
on the state government.
He said the state had merely endorsed the
Kings of Tennis event but was not a sponsor or
Zakaria’s family
must give up garden
In 2006, Zakaria was found to have started
construction of the bungalow without obtain-
ing bulding plan approval, and he was fined
RM19,373 for the offence.
Subsequently, he got the building plan ap-
proved and completed the bungalow in October
2007.
“However, we found there were issues involv-
ing the courtyard,” Khalid said after the state
exco meeting.
“The gated fence is on state land and they
co-organiser.
“We did all we could to help the event or-
ganiser. We waived the RM2 million deposit they
would need to pay to use the Esplanade field and
offered them a special rental rate,” he said.
Law said it was regrettable that the event
had been cancelled as it would have provided a
boost for tourism in the state.
“The organising co-chairman, Arianna Teoh,
called me last night (Tuesday) and assured me
the event is still on, so we have to wait and see
if it is,” he said.
Event producer Kings of Tennis, a group of
entrepreneurs based in Sweden, said in a press
statement on Tuesday it had been cancelled
because the organiser could not provide the
players the funds.
must clear the fixtures and return the land to the
state within a month.
“We will take legal action against them if they
do not comply with the order.”
Khalid also said the mansion did not have a
certificate of fitness (CF) but it was a separate
issue from the land matter.
He said the state government hopes the
family will comply with the order.
“This decision reflects that we are equal to
all,” he said.
Municipal Council (MPPP) president Datuk
Zainal Rahim Seman said the rental of RM200,000
had yet to be paid.
Yesterday, workers were seen packing up
some equipment on the stage but most of them
said they had not been told what to do.
While some fans expressed disappointment
that the event had been cancelled, others hoped
the Esplanade field would not be damaged.
Kate Lim, 65, criticised the state govern-
ment for allowing the organiser to construct a
makeshift tennis court and stands on the field
in Padang Kota.
“I am a die-hard tennis fan but I do not agree
with the use of this field for the event,” she said.
Lim said she suspected the event would be
a failure from the start and had bought tickets
theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 13 2008
On another note, Khalid said the state govern-
ment has set up a management body to look into
the problems faced by occupants of all low-cost
and council homes in Selangor.
He said those with low income and the disabled
will be given assistance in paying their monthly
rentals.
“The state government will ensure that this
problem is brought to an end soon,” he said, in
reference to complaints over the recent increase
in rentals of low-cost houses in the state.
to watch the Showdown of Champions in Kuala
Lumpur – featuring such players like Roger Fed-
erer and James Blake – which is not connected
with Kings of Tennis.
Gerakan Tanjung youth chief H’ng Khoon Leng
said the state government had not given enough
support to the event organiser.
“If it had helped the organiser in publicising the
event and given more moral support, perhaps the
organiser may have raised enough funds to pay
the producer for the players to come,” he said.
“We welcome this event to be held here and
we are disappointed to hear that it has been
cancelled.”
Tennis fan Abdul Wahab Hamid, 51, who
bought a ticket to watch the event on Tuesday,
was also disappointed over the cancellation.