The Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) has denied claims made by former minister Rafidah Aziz that the Defence Ministry did not involve them in armed forces lands' privatisation, reported the News Straits Times (NST).

In a statement, LTAT chief executive Lodin Wok Kamaruddin said that the ministry always gave priority to the board to implement projects, especially involving land swap method.

He said the projects were carried out through its wholly owned corporation, such as Perbadanan Perwira Harta Malaysia (PPHM).

PPHM developed the Armed Forces Families Housing Project (RKAT) at Oya Camp, Sibu in 1986 and 17 others major projects, Lodin Wok added.

Other projects included 400 RKAT units at the Desa Tun Hussein Onn Camp in Kuala Lumpur, 900 RKAT units at Sungai Udang Camp, Malacca, Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital in Wangsa Maju, the relocation of six Kuala Lumpur air base – namely Sendayan air base(Negri Sembilan), Kuantan air base (Pahang), Gong Kedak air base (Kelantan), Butterworth air base (Penang), Subang air base (Selangor) and Kajang Royal Artillery Regiment (31 RAD).

In an open letter to the caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, Rafidah claimed the cabinet had approved the privatisation of more than 40,000 hectares of military land to a three-person company. 

Caretaker defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein accused Rafidah of having a vile agenda and ulterior motive to tarnish Najib's credibility, to which she replied: "My agenda is 'agenda rakyat'. To explain the truth to the rakyat." 

Elaborating on this issue, Lodin Wok said the profits earned through the projects were returned to the soldiers via LTAT dividend, which is credited to the contributory account annually.

It also listed the number of incentives and contributions conducted by LTAT that benefited the soldiers and veterans and their family members.

Among them are funding of scholarship programme and education award totalling RM3.2 million, RM10.9 million subsidies for 50 catogories of goods below market price, welfare programme totalling RM416.1 million

“With this explanation, it is clear that LTAT is always given the space and opportunity to work with the ministry," Lodin Wok.