More than one hand in the cookie jar
By Terence Fernandez, The Sun
Many Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians and cyber troopers had been hounding both Yayasan Selangor and PKNS over the shenanigans over the last two years.
Their silence, however, was deafening when they and their own party leaders and members had partaken in trips to Disneyland and Venice; and bought a RM160,000 watch for the then mentri besar.
ON my way to work for the past week, I have had to look at a billboard at the Jalan Othman roundabout in Petaling Jaya indicating the 40th anniversary of Yayasan Selangor. It features the image of the Sultan of Selangor, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Yayasan Selangor general manager Ilham Marzuki.
How much was paid for this is another question but it is nothing compared to the millions that the foundation spent on lavish parties.
Looking at the mess Yayasan Selangor and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) are in, one wonders if the writing was on the wall or those at the helm just did not see it coming. Alarm bells should have gone off when Yayasan Selangor, a foundation set up to look into the needs of the poor, had bought two vehicles for official use costing almost RM400,000.
It also has a penchant for expensive dinners and lunches – RM170,000 for a buka puasa function; RM320,000 for a Hari Raya do; RM340,000 for the launch of the foundation’s building in Petaling Jaya and RM285,000 for what was supposed to be a royal luncheon for its 40th anniversary yesterday – until Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah snubbed it because he was appalled at the cost. Not to forget the RM200,000 for traditional clothes.
All these expenditure makes a mockery of the decision in July to merge the Yayasan Selangor Skills Institute Bagan Terap with private college Inpens, as the institute was deemed unprofitable.
Ditto to the PKNS which courted controversy two years ago by appointing the man behind the controversial Subang Jaya Pest Control consortium to head it.
Now, PKNS is in focus again as it had deemed it fit to throw half a million of Selangor folks’ ringgit on a wedding dinner for Angkasawan Negara.
Ratepayers in “the most developed state” have a right to say: “Hey! If my money was used, how come I was not invited? Bloody hell, I should be seated at the VIP table.”
Many Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians and cyber troopers had been hounding both Yayasan Selangor and PKNS over the shenanigans over the last two years.
Their silence, however, was deafening when they and their own party leaders and members had partaken in trips to Disneyland and Venice; and bought a RM160,000 watch for the then mentri besar.
Hence, in spite of all the accusations and innuendos thrown at these two foundations and those who helmed it, it was up to Saari Sungib from PAS to finally bring the matter up at the state legislative assembly last week.
The Opposition bench which was supposed to be the check and balance was probably playing it safe. If they were to open their mouths, they would be hammered over all the lawatan sambil belajar that went into hundreds of thousands of ringgit; the RM40 million exco village and the siphoning off of RM9.8 million in the accounts of the Association of the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen (Balkis) – just to name a few.
How the Selangor administration handles the problems with Yayasan Selangor and PKNS is going to have a bearing on whether or not the people can continue to trust the Pakatan Rakyat government in ensuring that their welfare is taken care of; or is it merely a case of old wine in new bottle.
Taxpayers had been given a bad deal by past administrations and finally decided on an alternative choice. But if one is going to get about the same results then many feel it’s a case of better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
Granted, following the uproar and pressure from the press and the public, the state government has pulled up its socks, awoken from its slumber and decided to take action where late on Sunday it issued a statement fingering Yayasan Selangor deputy general manager Mohd Saifulruddin Sulaiman. The mentri besar said the extravagant luncheon party has been “traced” to his office – whatever that means.
But he would have us believe that this 31-year-old newbie is going to be the fall guy for Yayasan Selangor, when the decision should have come from the entire board which Abdul Khalid chairs. The fact that Ilham defended the function saying it only cost RM100 a head, indicates that everyone knew what was going on and it was not one hand in the cookie jar.
But the luncheon is a small matter compared to the other issues raised, which demand more scrutiny.
It is good that the graft busters are investigating the matter and they should leave no stone unturned and go back as far as they can to flesh out all the culprits from the present and past administrations to find out if money and resources were used for the benefit of the people and according to the charter of these institutions.
