DEIG possibly used as a vehicle to generate political funds: Rao

(NST) – Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali must answer if the state’s newly formed investment arm, Darul Ehsan Investment Group (DEIG) will be used as a vehicle to generate political funds worth RM8 million to face the Sarawak state elections slated for next year and to buy over its Barisan Nasional parlimentarians.

Pertubuhan Minda and Social Prihatin special adviser Ramesh Rao said this came after he was told that RM8 billion would be generated by DEIG through four specially created projects that would take place in several districts in the state.

Ramesh named four projects that would be carried out on pieces of land owned by Yayasan Selangor in Kuala Langat, Kuala Kubu Bharu and Klang. The projects are a bulk terminal, a solar energy, a mixed development project, as well as a Chinese cultural site, three of which are joint ventures with private companies.

“The RM8 million is said to also be used to buy over BN parlimentarians from Sarawak to join Pakatan Harapan in its bid to form the future Federal government. I was told by sources that there was a meeting on Tuesday night between Pakatan Harapan leaders and Sarawakian parliamentary members to negotiate the buy over.

“I was told that this will involve 20 members of parliaments from Sarawak. Two representatives of the member of parliaments have been tasked to persuade the others to join Pakatan Harapan.

“I will wait for Azmin to answer these allegations first. If he denies, I will produce more evidence (to substantiate my claims),” he said yesterday. When asked, Ramesh, however, said he did not know who the 20 member of parliaments were.

Ramesh had listed the questions and projects in a memorandum which he handed over to Azmin’s political secretary Shuhaimi Shafiei at the state secretariat building. In an immediate response, Shuhaimi confirmed receiving the memorandum, adding that the details of the document would be looked into by Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president.

“But Azmin is not bound to answer these allegations, which I would described as baseless and ill intended. Meetings between Pakatan Harapan and the Federal government leaders are nothing out of the ordinary,” said Shuhaimi.