The previous Kedah PAS administration has denied that a logging investment in Papua New Guinea was fraudulent, admitting instead that it was one of the state's "misadventures".

Former state executive councillor Amiruddin Hamzah said that in 2010, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had questioned state officials on the matter but has yet to take any action.

He pointed out that it  was a business investment that was open to the possibility of "losing or profiting" from the venture.

"It was not fraud but more of a misadventure because we suffered losses in this investment," Amiruddin told Malaysiakini .

"The issue is nothing new. We met MACC officers in 2010. They have not come back to us since then. We believe the files on the deal are still with them,"added the state opposition leader.

He was referring to Kedah Umno Youth's visit to the MACC yesterday, asking  the body to probe PAS' logging investment in PNG for alleged fraud.

The wing's chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin said initiating the probe was pertinent to determining whether there was abuse during the time of the late PAS Kedah menteri besar Azizan Abdul Razak.

Yesterday, Bernama quoted Shaiful as saying that the wing's move to raise the issue with the anti-graft body was in response to Kedah PAS commissioner Mahfuz Omar's  ( right ) challenge to current Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to expose any abuses during Azizan's tenure.

Other than Umno, Kedah Gerakan Youth had demanded that Azizan explain the RM13.49 million in losses incurred by the project.

Amiruddin said Umno was merely kicking up the dust on the project in a "tit for tat" response to Mahfuz's challenge, but it was not a new issue at all nor was it a case of abuse of power or money by the previous state administration.  

"If the MACC or anyone has any proof, they can take us to court," said the Anak Bukit assemblyperson.

"I agree with Mahfuz that we welcome any expose if they were abuses in our past administration," he added.

"We do not condone any abuses or corruption whether by the past or current government," he stressed.

During a ceramah in Alor Setar early this month, Mahfuz said that Mukhriz was like his father , former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamed, who was fond of issuing threats to expose their critics to keep them in check.

He had also urged Mukhriz to reveal any past excesses by the previous administration.