Sunday, August 16, 2009

SYUKUR - UM KEKAL SEADANYA…

Ada antara kita yang mungkin sudah lupa berita bahawa Universiti Malaya (UM) mungkin dipindahkan ke Sepang?

Kini sah UM akan kekal di Lembah Pantai dan berada pada seadanya…Tahniah kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak kerana prihatin terhadap isu ini.

UM yang ditubuhkan lebih seabad lalu iaitu pada 1905 di Singapura. Universiti yang terletak di Petaling Jaya ketika itu merupakan cawangan UM Singapura di Kuala Lumpur yang ditubuhkan pada 1957.

Apabila UM berpindah ke Kuala Lumpur dan ditubuhkan pada 1962, bekas tapak universiti berkenaan di Singapura telah diganti oleh National University of Singapore.

Universiti berkenaan merupakan gedung ilmu terulung yang penuh dengan sejarah dan tradisi serta melahirkan ramai tokoh pemimpin negara yang berkaliber antaranya Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan bekas Menteri Perdagangan dan Industri, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

Bagaimanapun, Utusan Malaysia pada 16 Jun 2007 dengan tajuk ‘Pindah UM tindakan gila, kurang ajar’ memetik bekas Naib Canselor Universiti Malaya (UM), Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz menyifatkan cadangan untuk membeli dan membangunkan tapak UM sebagai suatu yang ‘gila dan kurang ajar’.

Malah tegasnya, pihak-pihak terbabit langsung tidak mempunyai sifat patriotik kerana sanggup menawarkan harga bagi khazanah negara yang tidak ternilai itu.

‘‘Ini suatu cadangan yang gila. Individu tersebut fikir dia boleh beli apa sahaja yang dia mahu kerana ada banyak wang. Saya sendiri tak kenal orang yang cuba berbuat demikian.

‘‘Saya tidak fikir mana-mana universiti di luar negara sanggup dibeli oleh mana-mana individu hanya untuk kepentingan peribadi mereka kerana mereka sangat menghargai gedung ilmu,’’ ujarnya.

Sehubungan itu, Ungku Aziz menyeru semua graduan universiti berkenaan bersatu hati menentang sekeras-kerasnya cadangan tersebut.

Pakar sejarah dan ahli akademik, Profesor Datuk Dr. Khoo Kay Kim mengingatkan pihak-pihak yang terbabit supaya tidak menjadi terlampau materialistik sehingga mengabaikan warisan negara.

“Jika tapak kampus dijual kepada pihak luar, seluruh rakyat khususnya bekas graduan UM dan para pelajar universiti ini pastinya berasa kecewa dan mereka akan memprotesnya.

“Kita menghargai warisan negara ini. Lebih-lebih lagi dasar kerajaan yang mengutamakan warisan negara dan usaha pemuliharaannya,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Menurut ahli sejarah itu lagi: ‘‘UM ialah tempat untuk kita mengutamakan idea baru dan menanam nilai-nilai murni di kalangan mahasiswa dan mahasiswi demi kepentingan negara,” tegasnya.

Kenapa kenyataan demikian dibuat oleh kedua tokoh akademik ini?

Sebabnya - sebuah syarikat, Guocoland (M) Berhad dikatakan membuat tawaran untuk memindahkan UM ke Sepang, dan membangunkan tapak kampus itu sebagai pusat komersial dan perumahan, menerusi projek dianggarkan bernilai RM10 bilion.

Menurut laporan sebuah blog, kroni bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Datuk Annuar Zaini, telah ‘mengadai’ sebidang 27 ekar tanah premier (bernilai tinggi) dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaya (UM), kepada sebuah pemaju hartanah untuk dijadikan kondominium mewah.

Sebagai timbal-balas (trade off), Alumni Universiti Malaya akan mendapat balik lima ekar dari tanah itu dan sebuah bangunan rumah kelab bernilai RM 3 juta.

Annuar, yang juga Ahli Lembaga Pengelola Majlis Universiti Malaya (merangkap Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pembangunan Korporat Universiti Malaya) membuat keputusan untuk menerima cadangan syarikat pemaju hartanah itu. Sumber maklumat ini datang dari kakitangan UM sendiri.

Pada kasarnya, sekiranya tanah premium itu dinilai sebagai RM 100.00/ kaki persegi (kerana lokasinya berada di utara kampus, bersempadan dengan kawasan mewah Bukit Damansara dan amat hampir dengan kawasan Bukit Bandaraya/Bukit Pantai, yang harga tanah rata rata melebihi RM 200.00 / kaki persegi), bermakna Universiti Malaya telah ‘melepaskan’ tanah bernilai sekurang kurangnya RM 95.6 juta untuk menerima ‘habuan’ sebuah rumah kelab bernilai RM 3 juta sahaja.

Sekiranya nilai tanah itu bernilai RM 150.00 / kaki persegi, maka ianya dengan mudah bernilai RM 143.7 juta.

Annuar juga merupakan Pengerusi Bernama dan penulis ucapan Abdullah. Annuar juga ialah seorang ahli lembaga pengarah Malaysia Airlines.

Pada 2005, Abdullah, juga seorang alumnus UM, telah merasmikan pecah tanah bangunan rumah kelab Alumni UM ditapak ini. Oktober 2007 pula, Annuar selaku Pengerusi UM Holdings Sdn. Bhd., telah bersetuju pada dasar untuk menyerahkan tapak ini kepada syarikat usahasama Mint PPC Glomac Whitestone, untuk dibangunkan sebagai kondominium mewah. Syarikat usahasama ini bersetuju untuk membina rumah kelab Alumni yang sedang dibina itu, ditapak lain sebesar 5 ekar juga dalam kampus UM.

Oleh itu, kerja pembinaan dihentikan. Dalam masa yang sama, syarikat usahasama ini, dengan kerjasama rapat UM Holdings Sdn. Bhd. sedang mengusahakan kelulusan dari semua pihak dan agensi berkenaan, agar projek pembangunan hartanah lumayan ini dapat diteruskan.

Pengerusi Alumni UM Dato’ Nordin Razak, yang juga mantan Ketua Pengarah DBKL, dikatakan menentang kuat deal ini.

Syukur kepada Allah, Jumaat lalu, projek ini dibatalkan.

Baca berita ini:

UM CONDO PLAN SCRAPPED

The Malay Mail (August 14th, 2009 06:12:00)

THE controversial 2007 plan to develop a parcel of land at the Universiti Malaya main campus in Petaling Jaya for a commercial housing project has been scrapped.

The 11.1ha plot of land, which was to have been developed into condominiums and villas in a gated community, has been saved for future generations.

Universiti Malaya vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Ghauth Jasmon told Malay Mail yesterday the plan had been called off.

When met outside his office after UM’s convocation ceremony, he did not elaborate when the plan was cancelled or who had directed it to be called off.

Asked about the university’s plans for the undeveloped plot of land, Ghauth said it would not be sold. “The land is for the future generations.We have no plan to sell it or develop it.”

Malay Mail had earlier learnt that the project to develop the land had been cancelled. It is not certain who had made the call and Malay Mail was unable to get any comment from Glomac Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Fateh Iskandar Mohamed Mansor.

Glomac is part of the PPC-Mint-Glomac consortium named in 2007 by the university as the entity appointed to undertake the controversial project.

Then UM vice-chancellor Datuk Rafiah Salim had said the university’s board of directors and the university had sought the government’s approval on Jan 25, 2008, for the development project.

Laporan oleh sebuah blog lain sehari sebelum itu pula berbunyi:

Najib to cancel Anuar Zaini's UM land development

In February 2008, Bigdogdotcom broke the story of Dato Seri Anuar Zaini, a powerfuk insider and crony of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had secured a 27 acre premier land in University Malaya to be developed by a developer in exchange for a 5 acre land and a building.

As Chairman of UM Holding, Anuar had pushed for the development of the land since 2007. When the final deal was secured with a JV Company, Mint PPC Glomac Whitestone. It was said to have the approval of Tun Lah. This is despite strong opposition from Dato NordIn Razak, Chairman of UM Alumni.

Words heard yesterday is that Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak will cancel the project. The story is set to come out on Malay Mail today.

This was the news when it was announced by Vice Chancellor, Datuk Rafiah Salim, below:

UM Seeks Approval To Develop Under-Utilised Land

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaya (UM) said today it has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Higher Education to develop under-utilised land of 27.5 acres (11 ha) out of 900 acres (360 ha) of its main campus land.

The successful completion of the development project is expected to provide UM with a minimum income of RM312 million or the land value of RM200 million plus a share of the developer's profit, whichever is higher, UM said.

It said in a statement that the Vice Chancellor, Datuk Rafiah Salim, on behalf of the university's Board of Directors (UMBD) and the university, sought the approval of the Minister on Jan 25 for the development project.

The project, under a private-sector initiative, will be undertaken by a consortium by the name PPC-MINT-GLOMAC.

PPC-MINT-GLOMAC, a result of a merger of two companies, was recommended by Colliers International Property Consultants Sdn Bhd, which the university had appointed for an independent assessment.

The two companies were from the three shortlisted by Colliers International to make presentations to UM Holdings Sdn Bhd Board of Directors (UMHBD)on Sept 27, 2007.

Initially, eight developers were invited to submit proposals for the development but only five submitted proposals.

Colliers International was appointed by UM Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of UM that was incorporated in line with the government's plan for public universities to be financially independent.

UMBD has appointed Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Annuar Zaini to the board of UM Holdings and to chair with the aim to fulfil the corporate aspirations of the university.

UMHBD also comprises Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong, Annuar Mohamad, Azhar Harun and Professor Dr Muhammad Zakaria.

Among the roles of UM Holdings is to plan, identify, explore, conserve, develop and enhance the university's assets.

The university disclosed that UM Holdings had received many proposals for various types of development and projects. Several parcels of land were identified, and the 11 ha of land on Lot 10476 were chosen.

The university said the PPC-MINT-GLOMAC consortium, which made a presentation to UMBD on Oct 9, 2007, drew attention to the presence of the proposed University of Malaya Alumni Association (PAUM) clubhouse and the PALAPES (Reserve Officer Training Unit) camp on the land to be developed.

"This will affect the Master Plan of development of the consortium in relation to the land.

"UMBD acknowledged the concern of the consortium and recognised the need for UM to obtain optimum benefit to all in regard to the development of the land.

"With this in mind, UMBD recognised that both the PALAPES camp and PAUM's clubhouse need to be relocated to sites to be identified by UM," it said.

It also said that on Dec 13, 2007, UMBD said that subject to agreement by PAUM, the site for the building of PAUM's clubhouse and the PALAPES camp will be relocated to sites identified by UM.

"UM gives the assurance that this development will be transparent and all processes and procedures will be observed, and decisions made will be based on independent professional advice.

"Evaluations and recommendations are made by UM Holdings and UMBD but the final approval rests with the Government," it added.

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