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KUALA LUMPUR (July 31): The four United Malayan Land Bhd (UMLand) subsidiaries who earlier this month filed a judicial review — to challenge the seizure of 192 Johor Bahru land lots linked to a dispute involving Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary’s companies over a 2021 demerger exercise — have withdrawn their application.
The notice of withdrawal was filed by UMLand’s appointed solicitors from the Law Chambers of Zander Lim on Thursday (July 30).
“Please take into consideration that the applicants have fully withdrawn their legal action against all respondents with no order as to costs,” the law firm said in the withdrawal letter sighted by The Edge.
It is understood that the move comes after the Attorney General’s Chambers had on July 22 withdrawn its seizure order dated May 25.
The four companies — Tentu Teguh Sdn Bhd, Viridea Lakeside Sdn Bhd, Exquisite Mode Sdn Bhd, and UMLand Medini Lakeside Development Sdn Bhd — had named the attorney general, a deputy public prosecutor of anti-money laundering and criminal forfeiture — Wan Ahmad Hakimi Wan Ahmad Jaafar, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail, Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Fazlisyam Abd Majid, investigating officer Inspector Mohd Rozimi Mustapha, and the Malaysian government, as respondents.
They had filed the judicial review application on July 10, where the companies claim that the seizure order made three months ago in May was related to its 2021 demerger exercise.
UMLand’s group corporate legal representative Jenni Teh, in her affidavit in support, said that before the demerger, Syed Mokhtar’s companies — Seleksi Juang Sdn Bhd (SJ) and Wawasan Perangsang Mewah Sdn Bhd (WPM) — owned 78.25% of UMLand, while the remaining stake was held by Datuk Ng Eng Tee’s group.
Under the demerger agreement signed on June 8, 2021, Ng’s group was set to increase its ownership to 50%, while Syed Mokhtar’s stake would be reduced to 50%.
To facilitate the ownership change, Ng’s group was required to ensure UMLand subsidiaries transferred 618 land lots in Bandar Seri Alam, Johor, to WPM, free from any charges or encumbrances. Meanwhile, Syed Mokhtar would cancel his UMLand shares held through SJ and WPM, allowing Ng’s group to take control of UMLand.
It should be noted that the 192 land lots are not part of the 618 land lots, nor are they situated in Bandar Seri Alam. Of the 192 lots, 32 are in Mukim Plentong, four are in Pulai, and 156 are in Johor Bahru city — all within the Johor Bahru district.
Several supplementary agreements were later signed between June 2021 and April 11, 2026, to amend the original demerger terms.
Teh claimed that on Nov 20, 2025, a director of WPM lodged a police report at the Sentul police station, alleging that Ng had failed to fulfil his obligations under the demerger agreement, and following that, the group’s bank accounts were frozen in February 2026, along with other assets.
“When the report was lodged, the Datuk Ng group had already completed the transfer of 617 out of 618 land lots to WPM. Only one lot, namely Lot PTD 111515, had yet to be transferred, although various steps had been taken since November 2025 to complete the transfer,” Teh said.
Following this, Teh claimed that the authorities froze the Ng group’s bank accounts in February 2026, along with other assets including PTD 111515.
The affected assets also included 192 land lots owned by UMLand subsidiaries — Tentu Teguh (32 lots), Viridea Lakeside (three lots), Exquisite Mode (156 lots) and UMLand Medini (one lot) — which were placed under a freezing order from Feb 27, 2026.
On May 21, 2026, the freeze order on the bank accounts was lifted. However, the freeze order on the land assets remained in place.
On May 25, 2026, DPP Wan Ahmad Hakimi issued a seizure order on the immovable assets, and this was withdrawn on July 22.
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