Fraudulent land transfers up
10/07/2007 NST

THE number of land transfers executed by forged signatures has been climbing steadily since 2001.

There were 16 cases in 2001 of land owners’ signatures being forged on transfer forms. The number rose to 19 the following year and 22 in 2003.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum said the figure went up to 32 cases in 2004.

"To prevent this, we advise the public to be wary," he said during question time.

Wong Nai Chee (BN-Kota Melaka) had asked the Internal Security Ministry for the statistics on forged transfers and the preventive measures taken.

Johari said in 2005, there were 35 cases where signatures had been forged. The number rose to 40 in 2006. "Up to May this year, there have been 16 cases."

Wong also asked whether the government would be drafting new laws in light of the 2000 Federal Court decision in Boonsom Boonyanit v Adorna Properties.

Following the case, the position is that a forger is capable of transferring a title to a purchaser who buys the property in good faith. It has led to many calls for the law to be amended.