Penang MIC liaison committee head PK Subbaiyah has clarified that he had questioned the state government about a proposed RM20 million project involving the Hindu Endowment Board, and not about the money itself.

He was referring to a Malaysiakini report that the MIC had obtained the money for the project with the federal government’s help, which he had then handed over to the incoming leaders of the board.

NONE Elaborating, Subbaiyah ( right ) said that in late 2007, through the initiative of then Welfare and Family Development deputy minister G Palanivel, the MIC had asked the federal government to help develop a plot of idle land belonging to the board in Kebun Bunga.

The matter was raised at a cabinet meeting and a committee was appointed under Palanivel to write a proposal to develop the land, he said.

However, after BN lost Penang to Pakatan Rakyat in the 2008 general election, Subbaiyah resigned as chairperson of the board.

He said he then handed over the land title to Bagan Dalam assemblyperson A Thanasekaran and current Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy.

Thanasekaran headed the board briefly before handing the post over to Ramasamy last year.

“I did not want to take the project with me and requested them to continue to pursue it. I even offered to assist them to make this project a reality,” Subbaiyah explained.

“However, three years have passed and I find they have not done anything. The project we have in mind is beneficial to the Indian community. The land has been left idle for a very long time.”

Incumbents puzzled

Asked about this claim, Ramasamy said he was not aware of the project and that he has not seen any document on it.

azlan If the proposal existed, he said, the state would have definitely pursued the matter with the federal government.

“We have written many letters (on other matters) to the federal government. So, surely, if there is such a proposal, we would do the same,” Ramasamy ( above ) said.

“We know our rights and position when it comes to the federal government... perhaps Subbaiyah can give us more information about this project so that we can take it up.”

When contacted, Thanasekaran also denied he had documents relating to the proposal.

However, he said Subbaiyah had mentioned the project verbally, without providing details.