Noh slams Azmin over high land premium for fire stations

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has been criticised for refusing to reduce land premium for new fire stations in Setia Alam and Bukit Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said Azmin's action, which was supposedly to comply with a state government circular, was irrelevant since the two fire stations were for public benefit.

"As the state's top executive, Azmin should know that a menteri besar can use discretionary powers to amend circulars to reduce land premium for projects of public interest. The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has its own land but not all are suitable for fire stations.

"Why does the menteri besar (Azmin) want to follow the circular in this case while he approved reduced land premium for private companies," he told reporters after an Aidilfitri event organised by the Selangor Farmers Organisation Authority, here Thursday.

Noh said land premiums of RM5 million for Setia Alam fire station and RM2.4 million for Bukit Rahman Putra fire station set by the Selangor government were too high since it only cost RM5 million to build them.

--BERNAMA