The Terengganu state government has amended and gazetted changes to state laws that will now enable Terengganu Umno to take over ownership of Malay reserve land.

The amendments to Section 9 of Terengganu's Malay Reserve Land Enactment, made in the state assembly in May, were highlighted by Pakatan Harapan lawmakers in Parliament today.

"I as a lawyer have never seen such a law [...] so bold," Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

He was accompanied by Bandar Terengganu assemblyperson Azan Ismail, who claims to be the only person to object to the amendments in May.

"I suggest you ask Abdul Hadi Awang why he as the Terengganu opposition leader did not object to this," Hanipa said.

Azan feared the new amendments would have a ripple effect on other states.

"I'm worried that with this new law, it will be a precedent or opening of floodgates to also allow Malay reserve land ownership in other states to be transferred to political parties," the PKR assemblyperson said.

A copy of the Terengganu assembly Hansard sighted by Malaysiakini has Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman defending the amendments as necessary to protect Umno's interests.

"We want to protect land owned by Umno so it remains under the Malays because Umno members are Malays," Razif told the assembly on May 14.

Besides Terengganu Umno, the amendments also enabled the ownership of Malay reserve land to be transferred to PR1MA, the government agency tasked with providing affordable urban homes to Malaysians in the middle-income segment.

Hanipa said he and Azan will challenge the amendments in court.