LAND TITLE CLAIMED BY THE DEAD?

Land title claimed by the dead

TAWAU August 19, 2011: A man waiting for the land title under the name of his mother who passed away about 12 years ago name was shocked to learn that it had been claimed by her in 2008 at the Land and Survey Department office here.

Abdul Wahab Timbasal yesterday questioned how could a person who had died claimed the land title and placed her thumb print on the grant in front of a lawyer on June 15, 2008.

“The land belongs to my mother under Lot 355, NT title 103032408 at Ulu Kalumpang and is 18.10 acres. On April 14 this year I asked the Kota Kinabalu Land and Survey Department about the title and was told that it was already sent to its office in Tawau on March 1, 2004,” he said.

“I went to the Land and Survey here on May 25, 2011 but was told the grant was already taken by my mother. But my mother died 12 years ago. In the grant copy it showed that my mother had signed in front of a lawyer on June 15, 2008,” he said.

Abdul Wahab said he made a police report that the grant was taken by others but till today there was no answer.

“On August 15 this year, I met with the owner and he told me that my mother had sold the land to him,” he said, adding he brought the matter to the PKR Tawau as he was not satisfied with the answer.

PKR Tawau branch chairman Datuk Kong Hong Ming said based on the facts, it was a typical land fraud case.

“It is very familiar. Normally this sort of case we need to investigate further until the truth prevails. There are many cases of persons taking over dubious land deals. They could be victims themselves or they could be the perpetrators. One of the means is to go to court to seek justice,” he said.

“I must say this case of land transfer using fraud is not uncommon in Sabah, especially with land becoming an expensive commodity. My advice to the public is to be cautious on land transfer or deal and go through professionals,” he said.