Former PAS Selangor state executive council members have continued to wash their hands of the RM2.6 million payout to the aides of former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim stressing they were not responsible for its approval.

Former exco Sallehen Mukhyi said the payouts were decided by the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) board of directors, and that the exco members, then consisting of the four PAS councilors, were only informed of the quantum.

"We were only told that the MBI was making payment to several staff and the matter was approved by the MBI board of directors at their meeting," he said, reported Malay daily Sinar Harian today.

"The previous excos cannot be blamed as we were only informed and were not told of the breakdown of the distribution," he said.

Sallehen ( left ), however, admitted that doubts had arisen when the payment was made on the same day they were told of the matter, which was during the last exco meeting before Khalid’s resignation.

 

"We were made to understand that the payment to eight of Khalid's former aides were made on the same day we were told of the payout," he said.

Meanwhile, exco member Ahmad Yunus Hairi said allegations of misappropriation should not be made before an audit report is ready.

"Such allegations must go through an auditing process, that's why I reviewed the minutes of the meeting of the Sept 27 exco meeting.

"I'm not sure whether the matter was approved during the meeting or the e xco members were merely informed of the amount," he said.

PAS lawmaker Khalid Samad had defended his party colleagues, saying that they did not approve the huge payouts.

Despite previous reports stating that the PAS exco members had  given their approval, he said that the four exco members were merely "informed" about the matter without any approval sought from them.