KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Datuk Seri Noh Omar should testify at the Selangor transparency panel’s (Selcat) public inquiry into allegations of graft in a state-owned sand mining firm and provide whatever proof he has on the matter, the Selangor government said today.
Faekah Husin, who is political secretary to the Selangor mentri besar, charged that the agriculture and agro-based minister’s testimony would facilitate the state government in its investigations, following Noh’s claims that he had proof of graft by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) when awarding sand mining permits in Selangor.
“Noh’s attendance during this public hearing session is pivotal, it will also show his sincerity in combating corruption. He can also do the same with the Barisan Nasional federal government,” she said in a statement.
Noh, who is Selangor Umno deputy chief, said “Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim should not pretend and lie to the public” as he had receipts, statutory declarations and other documents from sand contractors complaining of graft by the PKR-led government.
Selangor legislative assembly speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim said yesterday Selcat will probe KSSB over graft allegations.
Teng said the committee will also investigate Yayasan Selangor for graft as well as two independent companies which were awarded a RM180 million loan by the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS).
He said if the panel found enough evidence of criminal wrongdoing, it would pass the case to the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for action.
The public hearing is scheduled for March 5-7.
Nine ex-employees at Selangor’s sole sand-mining concessionaire have claimed they were sacked or forced to resign after speaking out about alleged irregularities in the firm’s operations.
According to The Star, the employees were given the axe or made to leave by Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) over a five-month period beginning August last year.
Some have lodged police reports over alleged intimidation by the management of KSSB while others are pursuing legal action through the industrial court.
The sand-mining controversy erupted soon after Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took the reins in Selangor following allegations that sand theft and corruption had cost the state hundreds of millions of ringgit.
The issue reignited earlier this month after self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin accused two Selangor state assemblymen of taking bribes from sand-mining contractors.
The duo, Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafei and Batu Caves assemblymen Amiruddin Shari, both from PKR, have denied the Malaysia Today editor’s claims.
Raja Petra also alleged that businessman Datuk Patrick Wong was murdered in 2009 to prevent the sand mining scandal from being exposed.
