Selangor Umno deputy chief Noh Omar said he was prepared to explain how the planned Yayasan Selangor 40th anniversary celebration expenditure had reached RM800,000, but has set a certain condition.

Noh said he would divulge the details of the expenditure provided that Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and a certain state assemblyman apologised to him first.

He said he was also prepared to be taken to court if his allegation was proven to be untrue.

"I'm willing to accept the Menteri Besar's challenge to reveal the details of the expenditure together with the bills, provided he apologises to me first. If what I will expose is untrue, he can sue me...I'm willing to accept the fact."

He told this to reporters after handing over stationery to students in the Tanjong Karang parliamentary constituency who will be sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia 2010 examinations, here, today.

Noh who is also Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, had recently claimed that the foundation's anniversary celebration expenditure had reached over RM800,000 and part of it had been paid to a company hired to organise the event.

'Audits were performed'

It was earlier reported that the expenditure was RM300,000, including for a luncheon and that 90 per cent of the amount had already been paid to the event management company.

Noh said Abdul Khalid was not fit to lead Yayasan Selangor as he had left it entirely to the management to do as they wished without informing him first, including about the anniversary celebration and the cost involved.

The minister said he had also been waiting for the response to his official request for an open discussion with Selangor assemblymen on various issues, especially involving agriculture.

Meanwhile, former Yayasan Selangor general manager Takril Tasuki said it was not true that the foundation's accounts had not been audited for the past four years as claimed by Abdul Khalid.

    

He said all the financial procedures in Yayasan Selangor were fully adhered to up to his retirement in August last year.

"All the accounts had been audited during my time as the foundation's general manager. Perhaps there had been a bit of a delay once or twice due to technical problems involving Universiti Industri Selangor and INPENS College," he added.

Takril said he was disappointed with the current administration and management of Yayasan Selangor which appeared to be not following the right procedures with regard to spending.

- Bernama