Anger at mansion demolition grows
WONG AH FOOK HOME: MP seeks to block building plans for site
JOHOR BARU: AS outrage over the demolition of the 150-year-old Wong Ah
Fook mansion grows, state authorities have pledged to ensure those
responsible for tearing it down pay heavily for their action.
While local authorities are seeking a maximum fine of RM500,000 against the landowner, a senior politician here had also promised to go all out to block whatever building plans that have been proposed on the plot.
Johor Baru member of parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad said yesterday he would push the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) to not grant approval for development plans that might have been proposed.
"The local council must teach those responsible a lesson for acting like a thief by carrying out the demolition in the middle of the night."
Shahrir said he had already seen Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to discuss the matter.
Meanwhile, MBJB chief whip Datuk Yahya Jaffar yesterday also lambasted the landowner for acting in haste after learning of the state government's plan to declare the mansion a historical site.
"The process of gazetting the land as a historical site takes time.
"The owner must have realised this and rushed to tear down the building before it could be done.
"The person who tore down the building did not obtain any permit before demolishing it."
Yahya said that the owner had also not submitted any proposed building plans on the plot.
The 0.5ha plot is said to be worth about RM30 million, considering it is centrally located in a prime area.
Yahya said the owner, a local residing in Singapore, would be charged under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 for tearing down the building illegally.
The offence carries a maximum RM500,000 fine.
On Saturday, Johor state secretary Datuk Ismail Karim said the state government could not do anything to stop the demolition as it was done in the middle of the night on Wednesday.
He said by the time local authorities found out about it, the whole structure had been knocked down.
While local authorities are seeking a maximum fine of RM500,000 against the landowner, a senior politician here had also promised to go all out to block whatever building plans that have been proposed on the plot.
Johor Baru member of parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad said yesterday he would push the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) to not grant approval for development plans that might have been proposed.
"The local council must teach those responsible a lesson for acting like a thief by carrying out the demolition in the middle of the night."
Shahrir said he had already seen Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to discuss the matter.
Meanwhile, MBJB chief whip Datuk Yahya Jaffar yesterday also lambasted the landowner for acting in haste after learning of the state government's plan to declare the mansion a historical site.
"The process of gazetting the land as a historical site takes time.
"The owner must have realised this and rushed to tear down the building before it could be done.
"The person who tore down the building did not obtain any permit before demolishing it."
Yahya said that the owner had also not submitted any proposed building plans on the plot.
The 0.5ha plot is said to be worth about RM30 million, considering it is centrally located in a prime area.
Yahya said the owner, a local residing in Singapore, would be charged under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 for tearing down the building illegally.
The offence carries a maximum RM500,000 fine.
On Saturday, Johor state secretary Datuk Ismail Karim said the state government could not do anything to stop the demolition as it was done in the middle of the night on Wednesday.
He said by the time local authorities found out about it, the whole structure had been knocked down.
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