What is Land Scam? How does it happen? Where it happens most? In Penang?

Kindly share your comments. Thank You.

you would think that its the people from the kampungs or the suburban areas that fall prey to these kinda schemes.

but no.

there are still quite a few from the city people. and whats more lame is that the people from the city and kl still kena con even though they see it in the papers everyday.

It happens in the city because of the value of the land

Also the nature of land scams means the victims are unaware that the scam has occurred.

Everyday they see the land is still there until someone puts up a notice that construction is taking place or evicts them.

Never blame the victims they didn't ask for it to happen.

In addition our Land Office is full of crooks, thieves and gundus. See today’s The Sun News Paper. Tomato Sauce

In cases of forgery the victims although having the original title to the land cannot sue to regain control of their stolen property, after it's been sold "in Good Faith" to a third party.

The law offers no protection to victims of forgery

aaronpang - in relation to forgery, is that still the case? i was under the impression that parliament has amended the law?

agape_ian - one way is like this. when you transfer the property, the land office never sees the seller. they don't have the seller's signature sample. all they have is the transfer document signed by the seller and witnessed by a lawyer. all you have to do is to forge the seller's signature, then forge the lawyer's signature, and you have yourself a nice piece of land. also, you have to get hold of the original title.

this does happen in rare cases, but not too often as the title is hard to get hold of.

and this is where the land office comes into the picture, probably.

In land scam cases, most of the time the syndicate didn't have the original title.

They'd get a replacement instead, claiming the original was lost, damaged or whatever.

So the loophole's here, the law state that the newer title (geran) supercede the old one.

And if the latest owner, bought the piece of land in GOOD FAITH, he/she is not liable for any sort of offence.

End of the day, the problem lies within the land office.

If it's fully computerised, then the buying/selling/transfer of land shall be like transaction of motor vehicle - plain & simple.

BUT, for some reason, the authority's not pushing for that.

actually, it is not that easy to get a replacement title. the owner will have to lodge a police report, and i think the police will want to see the ic of the person lodging the report.

there are 1000s of titles in the land office. it will be much easier to just get someone to take 1 out from there.

Nobody said it's easy.

And not only one needs a police report, one must also perform a statutory declaration in front of a Commissioner For Oath.

But with MONEY, some INSIDER assistance, and PROPER BUT ILLEGAL connection etc. Anything is possible in this country.

Even the owner lodged a caveat on the land, the syndicate can also withdraw the caveat.

SO, the only preventive measure our NATO Govt officials can think of is, mortgage the land to the bank & get the money 1st. Just in case if unfortunately the land was 'stolen', the owner already got the money, and the BIG BIG financial institution got the resources and lawyers to take legal action against ......... (just assume the culprit).