Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim today clarified that former exco member Hasan Ali spent RM300,000 not for his office renovation but for the construction of a new office.

Therefore it was not against PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s earlier instruction prohibiting office bearers from renovating their offices, he said.

“The issue is whether or not you renovate your room or you build a new office. I think Hasan was building a new office which is under the Public Works Department (JKR), so I think the department will have to follow proper procedures,” he told the media in Shah Alam today.

khalid ibrahim and selangor state The MB had previously explained that Hasan’s expenditure, that was criticised last week as “wasteful”, was done in accordance with state Treasury procedures.

Today, Khalid repeated that Hasan’s expenditure was “normal”.

“He did renovate his old office, it cost RM2,000. When he built a new office, then it’s quite normal for it to cost all of that amount of money (RM300,000),” he said.

'MB's office still in excellent condition'

As for his own office, Khalid said he is fortunate because it is still in excellent situation which does not need any renovation.

Two days after the last general election, Anwar, who is also the opposition leader, announced that all menteris besar and state exco members from PKR are prohibited from renovating their offices and purchasing new official cars, to demonstrate a new culture of politics.

Hasan, who held the portfolio of Islamic affairs, Malay customs, infrastructure and public amenities before he was removed, was alleged by PKR’s Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson Azmin Ali of wasting hundreds of thousands of ringgit while he was in office.

Among others, he was alleged to have spent RM300,000 to renovate his office.

However, Hasan today argued that the cost was reasonable because the office is to accommodate 19 other staff from the Microcredit Scheme.

He also alleged that his two former colleagues - Dr Xavier Jeyakumar and Dr Halimah Ali - had spent significantly more in renovating their offices compared to him, but the duo has denied this.