Pessure is mounting on the PAS leadership to appease its members' dissatisfaction over the botched investments in a co-operative society linked to the party.

Following PAS Negri Sembilan's move to record complaints over the loss of savings through investments in Koperasi Al-Hilal Berhad (Kohilal), its counterpart in Selangor has decided to take its case to the federal party leaders.

Sources said PAS Selangor's top leaders in a meeting last week unanimously agreed to send a memorandum to party president Abdul Hadi Awang regarding members' grouses on the poor management of Kohilal, which allegedly involves certain party leaders.

Apart from the memorandum, PAS Selangor has also decided to send a letter to Kohilal demanding the return of its investments involving more than RM250,000.

However, PAS Selangor liason officer Mohd Norman Taha declined to comment when quizzed on the matter.

"Details on meetings are confidential. We can't simply divulge information to the press," he said when contacted.

Nothing in black and white

A party member, who requested anonymity, revealed that state liaison officers and division chiefs had met on Jan 25 to hear a briefing by a Kohilal office bearer on PAS Selangor's investments.

"What they heard really upset them, including the fact that there is nothing in black and white to prove that the money was invested in various businesses as claimed by the board. That means the investment transactions were done on the basis of a gentlemen's agreement."

It was earlier reported that Kohilal had lost a total of RM46.5 million which was invested in among others an ostrich farm in Australia, trading of gold and Indonesian agriculture sector.

The source also claimed that many were appalled at the lack of professionalism and ethics of the board .

"They decided that something must be done. Among the recommendations is to seek the removal of leaders involved in the botched investments. This sounds harsh but those who attended the meeting were concerned with the co-operative's board being investigated by the Co-operatives Development Department."

"They were afraid that the authorities may initiate legal action, either criminal or civil, and it may involve one of the PAS leaders. So they believe that the party should take action against the relevant people before that happens. This is to protect the image of the party."

He said the memorandum is currently being drafted by a committee and once approved, it will be sent to the PAS president.

"They want to hand it to him before he meets the central working committee members on Feb 13. They hope that the memorandum will be discussed by the federal leaders," said the source.

Five complaints to date

Issues linked to Kohilal have repeatedlt been raised at various party meetings both at the state and federal level including during the special convention .

The dissatisfaction of members led to the mass resignation of Kohilal's directors chaired by Senator Hassan Shukri, now PAS deputy president, in June 2002. He had been at the helm of the co-operative society since 1996.

Meanwhile, PAS Negri Sembilan commissioner Rosly Yaacob revealed that he has collected five complaints against Kohilal since the registration exercise was started.

"One complainant said he had invested RM100,000 which he had collected from his relatives. A similarly sizeable amount was invested by a poultry trader."

Asked if the state would refer the complaints to the federal level for further action, he said to date he has no intention to do so.

"As I said right now we are more interested in collecting and verifying complaints. Taking it to the federal party leaders is the second stage. We may not even have to go there but at the same time I cannot completely rule out the possibility," he added.