PAS today urged the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz's explanation that bumiputra shares were allotted based on merits and not political connections.

Youth chief Mahfuz Omar said the minister's claim, made in Parliament yesterday, must be investigated in order to clear the public's suspicion about the allotment of these shares.

"It's (the explanation) not convincing. Based on previous experience, the people remain suspicious because large amount of shares were always given to a handful of individuals.

"The public wants to know whether these people really need the shares," he said when contacted.

Mahfuz, who is also the member of parliament for Pokok Sena, added that the findings of the probe must be revealed to the public.

"[Prime Minister] Dr Mahathir Mohamad had cried so many times out of frustration with the bumiputra businessmen who did not buck up and instead sold off their shares to get rich quick. We should not let him down anymore," he said.