MBPJ today announced that an independent committee will probe the recent scandal of ineligible council staff owning low-cost flats.

The audit, corporate and governance committee (ACGC), which is chaired by councillor Micheal Soon but excludes the mayor, will investigate whether the council was implementing an unlawful policy and whether the ownership is categorised as illegal.

“We would like to clarify that the particular scheme was done under the old leadership of MPPJ from 2000-2005, even before PJ got her bandar (city) status,” councillor Latheefa Koya said.

Councillor and ACGC chairperson Michael Soon said that assumptions circulated in the media that the current MBPJ mayor or councillors were involved were not correct.

He said his committee will take three criteria into account when probing the truth.

“First, we would like to know whether there was a policy to allow the staff to buy the low-cost flats. Was there a circulation of email and particular (conditions) required by the MPPJ (head)?

“Secondly, were the low-cost (ownership) policy in general and staff (ownership) policy for low-cost flats implemented correctly (Third), were staff earning more than RM2,500 abusing their positions by owning low-cost flats?”

“If it is the case, further actions such as instructions to return the (property) or other (such actions) will be considered.”

Soon said it is important to find out who ‘masterminded’ the policy as this was a situation inherited from the past administration.

“We heard that several former local leaders are involved and some of them were reported as saying there was a certain quota given to some political parties.”

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