Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali today dismissed claims made by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chairperson Badrul Hisham Shaharin as mere slander.

Badrul Hisham had claimed to be in possession of classified documents that purportedly proved the state government had awarded logging contracts without going through an open tender process.

"You want to entertain things (allegations) like this?” snapped Azmin, who is also the PKR deputy president, to reporters at the PKR Bukit Lanjan Chinese New Year open house in Seri Damansara.

"Just focus on issues affecting the rakyat. Not lies and slander.”

He said this when asked for comment on a press conference held by Badrul Hisham, who is better known as Chegubard, in Seremban today.

In a press statement, Chegubard claimed he had gone through all internal PKR channels to raise the issues against Azmin but no action was taken.

“I am aware of the risks that I am taking in revealing documents classified as secret under the Official Secrets Act.

“But we were taught under the Reformasi movement, if we see any weaknesses, it is our duty to expose and oppose it. It is my understanding that in this struggle, the struggle is about keeping to our word,” he said.

The former PKR central committee member also insisted that Azmin had “lied” in his earlier response that the contracts were awarded through open tender.

‘ Selangor will not accept foreign donations’

In addressing over 500 guests who attended the event, Azmin had earlier pledged to maintain Selangor’s status as the most developed state and the biggest contributor to national gross domestic product.

“We will not accept any ‘donations’ from foreigners. We will work hard in the interests of the people of Selangor.

“We want to make sure that the principles of integrity and transparency are implemented in the state of Selangor,” he stressed, in noting that this year’s celebration was held in one of the most challenging times for the country.

‘ No monkey business in Selangor’

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, meanwhile, said that the diversity of guests in attendance at the event was one of Selangor’s biggest assets.

She also credited the organisers for making special arrangements to accommodate guests who were wheelchair-bound or used crutches.

“We should all work together to celebrate our diversity…There should be no ‘monkey business’ in Selangor,” she quipped in reference to the Year of the Monkey.

Also present at the event were PKR vice-president Tian Chua, Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong and Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah.