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Mahathir visits Forest City, and slams project again

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Questioning the freehold status for properties, the former prime minister says there’s nothing to prevent foreigners who stay for a long period in the country from becoming citizens.

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PETALING JAYA:
Dr Mahathir Mohamad believes there is nothing to prevent foreign buyers of units at Forest City in Johor from becoming Malaysian citizens, after touring and seeing for himself the city currently under development.

He questioned the project’s offer of freehold status to buyers, as seen on advertising material on the city’s street lamp posts.

He said in his latest blog post that the government had claimed the land sold to China nationals was on a 99-year lease, but the billboards and posters said otherwise.

He said residents of Forest City could stay there forever and there was no ruling that would prevent them from becoming citizens after staying there for years.

He said under Malaysian law, anyone who stayed in the country for more 12 years had the right to become a citizen and vote in elections. There was no guarantee, he added, that this would not happen.

Mahathir, who is chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), claimed Malaysia was generous towards outsiders while its own citizens failed to obtain freehold status for their properties.

“But it seems foreigners can get freehold status,” he said, citing the Malay proverb “anak di rumah kelaparan, kera di hutan disusukan” (the child at home is left hungry while the monkey in the forest is fattened).

However, Mahathir added that the city, which is being built on four reclaimed islands near the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, was admirable in its beauty.

“A first class road that is very long has been built towards Forest City. Upon entering the road in the area an extraordinarily beautiful landscape suddenly emerges decorating the road,” he said.

Mahathir had earlier this year criticised the move to attract buyers from China for the project. This drew a sharp retort from Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who accused him of playing racial politics.

“He is insulting these rich Chinese property investors. They buy homes here because they can see the strategic importance of Johor,” the Johor ruler had told The Star in an interview last month.

The developer of Forest City has gone on a massive promotional campaign in China to get buyers for its properties. Some potential buyers are even being flown in to visit the site.

Touted as a futuristic smart city project, Forest City spans some 1,400 hectares.

Costing RM100 billion, it is expected to be completed within 20 years and has a range of facilities, including housing units, offices and shopping malls.

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