Khalid denies graft charges

Mr Khalid is accused of spending taxpayers' money to buy 46 cows that were slaughtered and distributed in his constituency during the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival last December. — PHOTO: AP

(The Straits Times) – MALAYSIA'S opposition has hit out at corruption allegations against one of its leaders who is accused of misusing public funds to maintain his luxury car and to buy cattle for a Muslim feast.

Khalid Ibrahim, the chief minister of central Selangor state which is ruled by the opposition alliance, was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after complaints were filed by a ruling party leader.

The ACC was quoted in weekend reports as saying it had found 'good and strong' evidence against Khalid and would recommend that he face prosecution.

'We have completed investigations and we are satisfied that there are elements of abuse of power on the part of the Selangor chief minister,' ACC chief Ahmad Said Hamdan told the New Straits Times.

Mr Khalid is accused of spending taxpayers' money to buy 46 cows that were slaughtered and distributed in his constituency during the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival last December.

He was also reportedly accused of using funds belonging to state-owned firms to buy a Lexus SUV worth nearly 1.0 million ringgit (S$425,318), and maintaining it at government expense.

Mr Khalid has denied all the charges. His lawyer Sankara Nair dismissed the ACC's findings, which he said were 'unjustified and appeared to be motivated by political consideration'.

'The cattle purchase was never ordered by Khalid personally,' Mr Sankara told AFP on Sunday. 'The Lexus is his own personal car which he was using even before he became the chief minister, while the maintenance expenses for official purposes were all approved by the state,' he added.

The ACC's findings came under fire from opposition politicians who questioned the commission's motives in revealing details of the probe even before the attorney-general decides whether there is a case against Khalid.

'The law is clear. It states that a person is innocent until he is proven guilty,' Karpal Singh, a member of the Democratic Action Party which is part of the opposition alliance, told the New Straits Times.