Menteri Besar Kedah Azizan Abdul Razak today refuted claims that the state’s assemblypersons and executive council members had sought rebate money from allocations channeled to

non-governmental organistaions (NGO) in their respective areas.

He said the funds given, RM150,000 for exco members and RM100,000 for assemblypersons, which were from the central government to help NGOs undertake small projects, were given directly to district offices for management.

“Assemblypersons or exco members make requests to the district office and payment will be made by the supervising officer to the contractor appointed.

“Should there be any kickbacks, it would not have been done by the assemblypersons or exco members,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly state executive meeting in Alor Setar today.

He was asked to comment on allegations by several NGOs in Kedah that they were forced to give back 20 to 30 percent of allocations to certain quarters.

The issue was raised by the Kedah MCA and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was asked to comment on the matter yesterday. They urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the allegations.

Commenting further, Azizan also requested that the Kedah MCA present evidence of such activities and for the NGOs involved to lodge a police report should the matter be true.

Previously, a Chinese-language daily reported that state Environment, Chinese Affairs and Transport Committee chairperson Tan Chow Kang acknowledged the practice.

Following this discovery, it is said that Tan’s personal aide was suspended two days ago on orders by the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) central committee until investigations are completed.

Meanwhile, Kedah Gerakan Youth today filed a police report on the issue.

The report, made by Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang at the Kota Setar Police Headquarters at 2.47pm, urged for a probe on the allegations so that action can be taken on those guilty.

- Bernama