Ghee Hin folk now in Love Lane row

GEORGE TOWN: A group identifying itself as descendants of the Ghee Hin, a Chinese secret society from the 1800s, is claiming the controversial “50 Love Lane” property.

Led by Datuk Teoh Kooi Sneah, the group which numbers about 50, said they are descendants of the society that used to own the building.

He said they are waiting to meet with the state government before deciding their next move.

“We want to know what documents are needed to secure ownership of the building. We will comply with the guidelines and work within the legal framework to strengthen our claim.

“Following the impasse which has been going on for months, we feel we have a historical obligation to claim the property,” he said, adding that Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi and Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik will arrange the meeting with the Penang government.

It was reported earlier that the property is mired in problems because all its trustees died without transferring their duties to their descendants or others.

In August, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that plans in 2015 to transfer the property to the Penang Chinese Clan Council hit a snag because it was found that the clan council did not own the building.

He had said that the state was willing to transfer the property to the clan council for a symbolic RM1, provided the council sent its lawyer to negotiate with the state government for the transfer.

According to records in the Lands and Mines Office, a High Court decision on Jan 7, 1909, saw the appointment of a five-member board of trustees to oversee the property belonging to Eng Siew Kee Kongsi.

The trustees have since died and a pile of unpaid property charges allowed the state government to seize it at the beginning of 2014.

Clan council chairman Anthony Chang said the last remaining trustee approached it in 2010 before he died, imploring the council to take over the heritage property and restore it.

Several parties have come to the defence of the clan council since.

Penang Barisan Nasional said it is appalled that the clan council was given the runaround for five years despite reaching an understanding with the state government in 2012.

Also seeking to break the impasse, Malaysian United Party vice-president Lim Boo Chang said the state would not be breaching any laws by transferring the property to the clan council since the state is not profiting from the move.

Chang, who is overseas at this time, said he will hold a meeting with his committee members to further discuss the issue before calling a press conference.