Rep wants Perak PAC to probe sale of land earmarked for airport development
Keranji assemblyperson Chong Zhemin said he had pushed the Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to probe the sale of state land that had already been earmarked for the development of an airport.
Chong (above), who is a member of the Perak PAC, said the committee should uncover the culprit behind the sale.
Keranji assemblyperson Chong Zhemin said he had pushed the Perak Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to probe the sale of state land that had already been earmarked for the development of an airport.
Chong (above), who is a member of the Perak PAC, said the committee should uncover the culprit behind the sale.
"I find it shocking and unbelievable that former Perak exco and Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) director Asmuni Awi has revealed that the sale of airport land in Seri Iskandar was never discussed during the state exco meeting nor PKNP board of directors meeting.
"How could the sale of PKNP land go through without the PKNP board's approval? This raises the possibility that the sale of land may not have gone through the proper procedure and authorisation," he said.
Last Friday, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad said the land, which was reserved for state-owned PKNP for development into an international airport, had been sold to a private company.
He said the sale happened during the Pakatan Harapan administration, which was in power from 2018 to 2020.
However, Asmuni, who was part of the Harapan-led Perak government, said the sale was never discussed.
Aulong state assemblyperson Nga Kor Ming claimed the land was sold without the permission of the state government and blamed it on an "irresponsible individual".
He described it as serious misconduct and asked for justice to be served but did not reveal the individual's name.
Chong said after the land was identified as a possible site to build an international airport, the Perak government should have immediately gazetted it and put a caveat to prevent it from being sold or transferred.
"I urge Saarani to immediately instruct the local council to suspend the development order and suspend all development on the said piece of land until the authorities have completed the investigation on whether the sale of land has gone through proper procedures and authorisation," he said.
State-level PAC hearing
Meanwhile, Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Woh, who is also the national PAC chairperson, backed a state-level PAC hearing.
"The Perak PAC has a responsibility to the state assembly and people to ensure accountability in every financial decision by the state government
"The Perak PAC would be negligent if it ignored this issue which is important to Perakians," he said in a separate statement.
Wong recommended that the Perak PAC summon Saarani as a witness, along with his predecessors Zambry Abd Kadir and Ahmad Faizal Azumu.
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