It is increasingly likely that Tourism Minister Azalina Othman Said will be offered by Umno as the sacrificial lamb in the ruling party’s fight against corruption.

Putting on a brave front today, Azalina said she was prepared to fully cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations of money politics and abuse

of power in her ministry.

kuala terengganu by election bn launching machinery 050109 azalina 1 Azalina’s ministry office in Putra World Trade Centre was raided yesterday by MACC officials where a few documents were seized. However, the tourism minister was not in the office during the raid.

Azalina, who is seen as loyalist of outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is seeking to retain her supreme council seat in the Umno polls to be held later this month.

It has been reported that one of Azalina’s aides was detained by MACC last week for having RM70,000 in his possession at a gathering of Umno members. However, Tourism Ministry officials denied that the raid was linked this incident.

According to Azalina, she had no idea why her ministry was being investigated.

"But I believe a person is innocent until proven guilty," she was quoted as saying by Bernama.

RM50 million Pempena scandal

Azalina and Tourism Ministry staff have been embroiled in a scandal over Pempena , which could could cost the company as much as RM50 million in losses due to a litany of bad investments, criminal breach of trust and financial improprieties.

Pempena, a national tourism development company set up in 1976 by Tourism Malaysia, is an agency of the Tourism Ministry.

Allegations against Pempena first surfaced in a July 2 Malaysiakini report on a Pempena staff memorandum alleging graft and breach of trust by two key figures in the company.

Among others, the allegations stated that the duo had pocketed commissions when refinancing luxury vehicles for a high-end tourist taxi service, approved several lucrative contracts to RM2 companies, overstating the cost of creating an e-tourism portal by about RM5 million, and by passing the Pempena board of directors in 'investing' in a restaurant project in Melbourne.

A PriceWaterhouseCoopers audit later found that Pempena had invested a total of RM54.4 million in 24 companies but only four managed to generate profits.

Meanwhile another known PM loyalist, Umno supreme council member Norza Zakaria, is also facing possible charges from the MACC.

MACC has been investigating Norza for alleged corrupt practices by seeking favours for delegates to vote for him to the supreme council post in the coming party polls.

Norza, who is political secretary to Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop, is also the Federal Territory Umno Youth chief.