Metroplex Bhd, the previous owner of Putra Place in Kuala Lumpur is trying to block the sale of the property through legal means.

Metroplex has served court summons on OSK Trustees Bhd, Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd, Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust (SunREIT), Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd and Ahmad Fairuz Mohd Puzi, the court officer who conducted the auction.

SunREIT, in a filing to Bursa Malaysia yesterday, said Metroplex was trying to get the High Court to declare the sale as null and void as it claimed the public auction had been turned into a private auction.

On March 30, the Putra Place was sold to OSK Trustee for RM513.95 million, some three years after the property was first put up for auction.

SunREIT said the summons, dated April 25, were served on the defendants on Tuesday evening.

Metroplex had requested the High Court to set aside the sale of the property to OSK Trustees and/or SunREIT and/or Sunway REIT Management.

It had also requested that the property be remitted back to the Registrar of the High Court due to breaches of the National Land Code 1965, Capital Markets and Services Act 2007, and the Guidelines on Real Estate Investment Trusts issued by the Securities Commission.

"The matter is fixed for hearing before the Senior Assistant Registrar on May 12 2011," SunREIT said.

Metroplex is the second party who is trying to declare the sale of Putra Place as null and void.

Last week, two individuals - Robert Ti and Indonesia's Kornelis Kurniadi - sought an injunction to restrain OSK Trustees and SunREIT from completing the sale.

SunREIT told Bursa Malaysia on April 19 that it had completed the purchase of the property and the title had been passed to OSK Trustees.

Putra Place houses The Mall shopping complex, Legend Hotel and an office tower. – Business Times