PLUS connection in MK Land's sale of land

It was a simple land sale but MK Land Holdings Bhd's deal raised eyebrows because the buyer shares the same set of shareholders for another major deal - the RM26 billion bid to take over PLUS Expressways Bhd.

MK Land announced yesterday that little-known Foster Estate Sdn Bhd plans to buy two pieces of land in Damansara Perdana, Selangor, for a combined RM130 million.

According to the Companies Commission of Malaysia, Sumami Kiman and Saharuddin Abdullah hold one share each in the RM2 company.

These two were also the same shareholders of Jelas Ulung Sdn Bhd, which is making the bid to buy PLUS.

Jelas Ulung was also rumoured to be the vehicle for Tan Sri Halim Saad although this was denied by people close to the businessman.

Foster Estate was set up on November 4 2010 and is based in Klang. Its core activity is property investment.

According to MK Land chief operating officer Lau Shu Chuan, proceeds from the land sale will be used to carry out existing projects and new ones over two years.

The deal is due to be completed by the end of this year. In a statement to Bursa Malaysia, MK Land said it has no immediate plan to develop the land.

MK Land is selling two parcels of land in Damansara Perdana, comprising 7.4ha and 3.3ha for RM100.8 million and RM29.2 million, respectively.

The developer had bought the land in April 2000 for RM5.9 million and RM2.4 million, respectively.

Damansara Perdana sits next to the thriving Kota Damansara township and it is also close to the new planned development of the Rubber Research Institute Land in Sungai Buloh.

By Business Times