The Selangor Select Committee on Competence, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) inquiry today heard how RM6,000 was approved for copies of Utusan Malaysia from the allocation of the Bukit Antarabangsa constituency.

The public hearing chaired by state assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim was initiated last September to determine how about RM2.7 million in funds allocated to 54 assemblypersons were spent within three months in the run-up to the General Election in 2008.

The other members on the committee are state deputy speaker Haniza Mohamed Talha, Edward Lee (Bukit Gasing MP), Shaari Sungib (Hulu Kelang MP) and Azmin Ali (Bukit Antarabangsa MP).

Zainal Abidin A'ala, who took the stand as district officer for Hulu Langat, said that RM6,000 was requested by the previous Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson, Azman Wahid, for six projects.

NONE Amin Ali posed these questions to Zainal:

Azmin : What are these six projects?

Zainal : I think these are programmes to buy newspapers.

Azmin: To buy newspapers? That means that the paper can't sell.

Zainal: It's for school students... six schools.

Azmin: That means the state assemblyperson is forced to buy Utusan Malaysia ?

Zainal: Ya... but it's for the rakyat.

Azmin: But the rakyat don't want to read Utusan Malaysia, before, now, and forever. (laughs)

Zainal: That, I don't want to comment. I'm not a politician.

Rubber stamp for assemblypersons

Also taking to the stand was Hulu Selangor district officer Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan.

Responding to a question on why up to one-fifth of the RM500,000 allocation meant for Hulu Bernam constituency could be approved for local Umno and MCA branch activities, Nor said that that it was up to the assemblyperson how the money was spent and their job was merely to approve it.

"Who they (assemblypersons) want to give the money to is not for us to know. From the official point of view, they are our bosses and this (kind of approval) does not conflict with past practice. But in my personal view, it should not happen," he said.

He further noted that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had seized documents relating to the allocations making it difficult to produce them to the committee.

Nor also admitted that while functioning as election manager in his capacity as district officer in the run-up to the general election, his office was given a directive to ensure that BN candidates made no mistakes in their nomination forms.

"The government is the party, the party is the government, we have to follow," he said.

' Selcat satisfied'

When Nor was questioned why bank interest of about RM2,000 was deposited to him, the district officer said his office had requested the amount for its sports club and the assemblyman was willing to give because of their "efficiency in disbursing allocations".

NONE At this, Teng quipped: "I don't do that, no wonder my funds are always late".

After the inquiry, Teng commended both district officers and their officials for the way they conducted themselves.

"Overall, Selcat is satisfied because the witnesses answered professionally and most importantly they did their homework."

In a related matter, Teng said that plans to call up Selangor state exco member Ronnie Liu and political secretary to the Selangor MB, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, to testify have not been cancelled.

"What I promise is that we will look at the accounts of all assemblypersons," he stressed.

The inquiry is slated to run until Feb 2 at the state secretariat building and will see district officers from Hulu Langat, Hulu Selangor, Sepang, Kuala Langat and Petaling take the stand.