THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has reacted to the five reports lodged in connection with the long-standing Kapar land-grab issue, but its action yesterday was not what the parties involved had expected.

Instead of looking into the claims raised by the complainants - Kampung Perepat Green Revolution scheme pioneers and Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam - that a Datuk had managed to transfer the titles of plots of Temporary Occupation Licences (TOL) land within 24 hours, the MACC last night questioned one of the pioneers and a Malay Mail journalist at its Selangor office at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.

The Selangor MACC officers also confiscated a mobile phone and laptop belonging to the journalist from the Malay Mail, which has been championing the Kampung Perepat pioneers' cause in an effort aimed at resolving the long-standing problem.

Manikavasagam, when met at the MACC office around 1.30am, said he had declined to give his statement without the presence of his lawyers.

"I stand by my claim as reported by Malay Mail. I have witnesses to confirm that the officer told me that the files were missing."

Manikavasagam said he would not apologise to the MACC for making such a claim despite a police report lodged by the commission yesterday claiming that his statement was slanderous and tarnished its image. (See Related Story)

"In fact, the MACC should apologise to me for calling me up for questioning," said Manikavasagam, who was at the MACC office from 8pm till 2am.

The vocal MP said he was disappointed that the MACC had hauled him up instead of investigating the issue.

Manikavasagam also questioned why the MACC had only asked the Malay Mail reporter to give his statement when several Tamil newspapers had also highlighted the claim.

Nevash Nair, who was at the MACC office at 8pm, had his statement taken for almost four hours from 10pm. Among others, he produced a tape recording of Manikavasagam claiming to have been told about the "missing" files.

Nevash had also showed the officers text messages and the list of calls he had made to senior MACC officials to get comments on Manikavasagam's claim.

"I do not understand why my laptop and handphone had to be confiscated. I was merely doing my duty as a journalist," he said.

Pioneer corroborates allegation

ONE of the Kampung Perepat pioneers, V. Nedumaran, has corroborated Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam's claim that an officer had said that the files of the previous reports could not be traced.

Nedumaran, who was at the Selangor MACC office last night after receiving a call from Manikavasagam, had his statement recorded.

In his statement, he had stated that he was present around 10.30am last Friday when a female officer told Manikavasagam that the files could not be found.

Nedumaran claimed that he had, along with a resident known as Thasarathan and Kapar PKR division chief Bakir Kahir, accompanied Manikavasagam when he lodged a report last Friday.

He claimed that after the report was lodged, they submitted the reference numbers of the previous reports — three by the pioneers and one by Manikavasagam — to the officer.

Nedumaran said after waiting for about 30 to 45 minutes, they had to ask for the officer, who came out and told them that she could not trace the files.

She had also apologised for the delay.

"I feel that the MACC should investigate our claims and not haul up the complainants. It will scare people from lodging reports with the commission," said Nedumaran, who had been present when all five reports were lodged.

'Officer told me files were missing'

IN our front-page report yesterday, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam had claimed that an MACC officer had informed him that files related to the three reports lodged by the Kampung Perepat pioneers, as well as the one he had personally filed last year, had gone missing.

An infuriated Manikavasagam, who had gone to the Selangor MACC office at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam last Friday with a group of about 10 pioneers, lodged another report, asking the MACC to, among others, probe how Temporary Occupation Licence (TOL) agricultural plots in Kapar had been transferred to the names of a Datuk, his family members and business associates by the Klang Land Office within 24 hours.

He had also given MACC one week to locate the files and start an enquiry into the matter.

Malay Mail had contacted MACC investigations director Datuk Shukri Abdull and Intelligence Department director Datuk Mohd Jamidan Abdullah, but was asked to refer to MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan. Ahmad Said, however, could not be contacted.

SEVENTEEN families were displaced by the Datuk, who got the plots, strictly meant for agricultural use, transferred to his name, and that of his relatives and friends.

The Selangor government had in 2005 admitted that there had been an error in allocating the land titles to the lawyer Datuk, his family members and friends, and in April the same year, revoked the titles.

However, a recent check revealed that some of the plots were still under the Datuk's name, while some were under the names of his wife, his two sisters, two brothers-in-law and other relatives.

A bungalow, complete with a small stream channelled to a lake with water lillies, stands there. A public road leads to the residence, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had warned that the State would demolish the structures if they were illegal.

The Klang Municipal Council had also since confirmed that it had not received an application for the construction of the bungalow, and it is, therefore, illegal.

In total, five reports have been lodged with the MACC, with the last one by Manikavasagam urging the commission to investigate how the Datuk had managed to transfer the titles through the Klang Land Office within 24 hours.