Azmin: BN reps’ wives used money for holidays

(The Star) SHAH ALAM: There are records to indicate the wives of elected representatives from the previous state government had used state money to pay for holidays abroad, claimed a Pakatan Rakyat state assemblyman.

The expenses were incurred by the now defunct Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) – when its members toured Disneyland in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, said Bukit Antarabangsa’s Azmin Ali at the state assembly sitting yesterday.

In an immediate reaction, former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo insisted the money given to Balkis was used only to carry out charity-based activities.

Dr Khir’s wife, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, headed Balkis right up to the time it was dissolved when Pakatan Rakyat took over the state last year.

Dr Khir said he had been cleared by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over the Balkis matter.

Earlier, Azmin also said the state government’s investment conduit Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) had records indicating it had also paid for travels by Balkis members.

Azmin claimed PNSB had given the funds to Balkis to carry out welfare activities, but alleged the association had instead siphoned the funds for its members’ personal activities and use.

He also alleged that Balkis had used its funds to purchase clothes and accessories for its members.

Azmin later brought up PNSB’s role in acquiring some properties in Saudi Arabia – which may have contravened the Exchange Control Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

PNSB is accused of buying 12 units of apartments in Saudi Arabia despite getting the endorsement to buy only five.

It is also accused of selling seven out of the 12 units to an individual in Malaysian ringgit, although the purchase of the properties was traded in Saudi Arabia riyal.

In response, Dr Khir said the seven properties in Saudi Arabia had to be sold at cost after a minor glitch involving an individual who had initially wanted to buy them.

On another matter, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said Selangor was expected to know by the end of March the results of a study on the viability of holding local council elections.

“At the moment, efforts to introduce such elections face technical problems as it borders on legal context at the Federal Government level,” said Khalid.