Pandamaran assemblyperson Ronnie Liu has no qualms about appearing before the Selangor Select Committee for Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat), if required to do so.

Unofficial reports have been circulating that the Selangor exco member is among those who will be called up by Selcat.

NONE Liu confirmed today that he had heard of this via word of mouth, but that he has not received any official notification.

Asked if he knows why he is being called up, he disclaimed knowledge of the reason.

While conceding this could damage his image, he said: “I shall try to make this into something that will come out positive for myself.”

On a separate matter, Liu defended the Selangor government’s RM392 million debt-purchase exercise to recover the money owed by Talam Group Corporation to state-owned companies and subsidiaries.

He told a press conference at the Selangor secretariat that he needs to clear the air after being “bombarded with questions from the public and from politicians from other states”.

Liu claimed that “a lot of people” were jealous of the Selangor government’s plan. Those people included “a former Selangor menteri besar who make all sorts of speculation” on his blog.

khalid ibrahim He reiterated that no consultant had been hired for the move, and that Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (left) was the only consultant.

He also refuted claims that the state will pay high interest to CIMB in borrowing RM392 million.

Liu said that, in a ‘round-tripping’ exercise, the money never leaves the bank. The government will not have to pay interest, except perhaps for the two days the money is made available for accounting purposes.

‘Assets can be appropriated’

On speculation that Talam will not be able to repay the state government, Liu said the property developer does not have cash, but does have substantial real estate assets.

“Talam has a very substantial land bank. We will recover the RM392 million by appropriating its real estate assets.”

NONE Liu also said the Selangor government is only recovering the money owed to the state agencies, not buying Talam’s debts or acquiring the company.

He explained that the exercise was not announced earlier was because its success depended on secrecy, as is common with corporate financial transactions.

“There is no hanky-panky involved, everything is transparent,” he added.