With the intervention of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal, the State Government has offered the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) a 107,636 square feet (sq ft) of state land next to SJK(C) Chung Hwa Likas in exchange for the disputed 7,200 sq ft of land adjacent to SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu following the redevelopment of Star City project.

The 107,636 sq ft of land, which is approximately one hectare, comprises 69,699 sq ft of state land that is currently utilized as the parking lot for SJK(C) Chung Hwa Likas and another 37,937 sq ft of state land near the school that is gazetted for education purposes.

KKCCCI president Datuk Michael Lui has called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on March 15 to discuss whether to accept the State Government’s offer on the land swap.

He said the disputed 7,200 sq ft of land next to SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu, which the chamber asserted to be its rightful owner, had been affected due to the redevelopment of the abandoned Star City project.

“KKCCCI maintains its firm stand in defending our claim on the land.”

He said many State Cabinet members and political leaders had extended their assistance to resolve the issue, including the Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Junz Wong, Minister of Youth and Sports Phoong Jin Zhe, Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry Ben Chong, Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Chan Foong Hin, who brought the matter up at State Cabinet meetings.

“We are relieved that the Chief Minister regarded the dispute as a matter of concern and decided to intervene.

“Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal has met with me personally and expressed his desire to seek a win-win solution to resolve the land dispute amicably.”

Lui said the state land offered by the State Government was about one-third of the size of SJK(C) Chung Hwa Likas, which encompassed an area of 4.94 acres.

“The land could be used by KKCCCI for education development in the future.”

He said the Executive Committee had discussed the State Government’s offer and resolved to call for an EGM to deliberate whether to accept the land swap.

Lui said the Executive Committee and himself were happy to accept the offer but the matter had to be decided in the EGM.

According to KKCCCI’s Constitution, the proposal requires the support of at least 92 members, which is double the number of the Executive Committee members (46), in order to pass it.

Hence, he urged members to attend the EGM held on March 15, at 10am at KKCCCI’s multipurpose hall to discuss and vote on the matter.