Yayasan Selangor has sent a lawyer’s letter to its former deputy general manager Saifulruddin Sulaiman, demanding the return of cash that he is alleged to have taken.

"If it is not returned, we shall take legal action," its general manager Ilham Marzuki told a public hearing by the Select Committee for Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) in Shah Alam today.

NONE Saifulruddin (left) stands accused of taking money in excess of RM60,000 from Yayasan Selangor, an education foundation linked to the state government.

According to Ilham's testimony that was verified by the state internal audit department, Saifulruddin took RM2,000 from the company strong box, appropriated over RM20,000 from the proceeds of a fishing competition and held on to nearly RM30,000 in cash from a Hari Raya Korban event.

He also allegedly failed to return allowances issued to company staff for participating in several committees.

Ilham said that all other employees who received the allowances had returned the money after the foundation was informed by the internal audit department that it was inappropriate to pay staff for such duties.

"Every sen was collected from the staff, except from Saifulruddin," related Ilham.

Saifulruddin was sacked by the foundation last year after an internal audit established that Yayasan Selangor had spent lavishly on activities unrelated to education.

All told, RM1.4 million was found to be spent, seemingly having been awarded via direct award and bypassing the open tender directive on all state projects costing more that RM50,000.

‘Responses are acceptable’

Asked if Selcat would act against Saifulruddin for any possible transgressions, its chairperson Teng Chang Kim this is beyond the purview of the state legislative committee.

NONE "He is already under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to see if he is involved in a criminal case or not," he told reporters at the end of the hearing today.

Asked if he accepts Yayasan Selangor’s responses, Teng (left) said he is satisfied for now.

"It is acceptable. There were admissions and most importantly (information on) immediate actions taken (to rectify the errors)," he said.

Teng suggested that it may be time to incorporate Yayasan Selangor - now a company under the Registrar of Companies - into a statutory body under state law, as this will ensure proper monitoring of its practices.

"I also don't know why Yayasan was not formed as a statutory body ... but it involved a complicated process as it touches on matters of state law," said Teng, who is also the Selangor speaker.

The public hearing will continue at 10am tomorrow, to probe allegations that two state government-linked companies under the Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Selangor had misused federal grants.