Rafizi: Zaid used PKR to ‘help’ friends
I was approached to lobby favours from the Selangor Menteri Besar on the awarding of several contracts, claims the PKR strategy director
(FMT) – Kajang independent candidate Zaid Ibrahim ‘unashamedly’ used PKR in 2010 to influence the government in the awarding of contracts, PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli claimed today.
“He used his position in the party to influence the state government’s decisions over several projects managed by quarters affiliated with him,” Rafizi told a press conference today.
The Pandan MP said Zaid approached him personally in 2010 to interfere in two projects, one related to 26 acres of land, and another involving two plots of premium land in Petaling Jaya.
In a June 25 2010 e-mail to Rafizi, who was then chief executive of the Selangor Academic Advisor’s Office, Zaid allegedly wrote that the matter was ‘another easy call’.
“Kumpulan hartanah Selangor having ‘dispute’ with state govt what to do with 26 acre land in Batu. My client Teamwork has proposed (joint venture) with Hartanah.
“Just need Tan Sri (Khalid Ibrahim) to okay proposal,” Zaid wrote in the e-mail to Rafizi.
Rafizi said Zaid, who was then a PKR member, had also informed him verbally that he wished to obtain lots PT70 and PT71 so that his ‘associates’ could develop it.
“I told (Selangor Economic Advisor) Anwar Ibrahim and we agreed that it was not proper to allow a party leader to lobby or influence the decision of the state government, especially those related to public property,” said Rafizi.
On July 13, 2010, Rafizi e-mailed Zaid to inform him of the procedures the office and the state government would use to handle the application for the joint venture.
But Rafizi said Zaid’s application was eventually never brought up to the state government, as he felt it was improper to do so.
Zaid left PKR after about a year in the party, alleging that PKR’s internal election, which saw him contesting for the deputy president position, was rigged.
The former Cabinet Minister and Umno member then formed his own party, Kita in 2011, before announcing last year he was quitting politics for good.
