"Who is Khir Toyo to talk about corruption?
"There were many allegations against him when he was the Selangor MB including those involving land and contract matters."The above were utterred by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as reported by the media (NST Feb 23) when he was asked to comment on Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo's allegations against the Selangor PR government led by Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Anwar has a point. I am not saying that Anwar is an angel but neither is Khir Toyo. However, I am aware that several reports were lodged with the then Anti- Corruption Agency (ACA) by a certain political writer (now with Harakah daily) against Khir Toyo.
I am also aware that Khir Toyo's then deputy (Deputy MB of Selangor) Dato Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad wrote a letter to the then ACA chief Dato Zulkifli Mohd Noor denying and clarifying Khir Toyo's press statement on land allocation.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and current PM Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad were aware of the letter.
I am not aware of any action taken by the ACA.
The letter was written in May 2003 when Dr Zainal's name was linked in the statement made by Khir Toyo which Dr Zainal said was not true. Khir Toyo's statement were published on April 30 and May 1 in Utusan Malaysia.
It all started when the then DAP's Bandar Klang state assembly member, Teng Chang Khim questioned the state government's approval of land - Lot 557, Mukim Dengkil and Kampung Labu Lanjut, Sepang - to several people which he said of having vested interests.
He claimed that applications for Lot 557 (agriculture land) a total of 107 people were successful. Chang said that among them were people with connections to Khir Toyo, with the then Dengkil representative Datuk Mohd Sharif Jajang and several state officials.
Chang was debating the thank you motion for the royal address opening the first sitting of the fifth State Legislative Assembly in Shah Alam on April 29, 2003. He claimed that despite stating his vested interests to several land applications, Khir Toyo did not leave the meeting when the papers were presented for approval. Khir Toyo continued to chair the Exco meeting.
Khir also did not leave the meeting to approve land applications for Kampung Labu Lanjut, Sepang.
The following day (April 30), Khir clarified that the land applications (Mukim Dengkil and Kampung Labu Lanjut, Sepang) were approved according to procedures and in line with the state policies to award land to qualified people (applicants).
He admitted that among the successful applicants were governmen servants, including those serving in his office, but they were done according to procedures.
Speaking to reporters in the State Legislative Assembly lobby, Khir claimed that when the state Executive Council (Exco) met to decide on the land applications, he left the meeting room after declaring his vested interest.
He said, normally when he left such meetings, the deputy Menteri Besar or another Exco member Datuk Tang See Hang, would chair the meeting and that was the procedure adopted.
So, who is Khir Toyo to talk about corruption?
Setelah tiga hari kejatuhan kuasa kerajaan negeri Selangor ke atas Pakatan Rakyat, Zaharah Kechik yang merupakan mantan pengerusi Badan Kebajikan Isteri-isteri Wakil Rakyat Selangor (Balkis) memanggil mesyuarat tergempar Balkis untuk membubarkannya dan menutup akaunnya sehari kemudian. Wang kira-kira RM9.9 juta milik Balkis dilapor dipindahkan ke satu akaun lain, sebelum sampai kepada Badan Amal dan Kebajikan Tenaga Isteri-isteri Menteri (Bakti).
Percubaan membubarkan Balkis melalui Pendaftar Pertubuhan Malaysia (ROS) pada 13 Mac bagaimanapun berjaya dihalang Menteri Besar baru Selangor, Tan sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Tindakan Zaharah Kechik itu dikatakan tidak sah di sisi undang-undang karena mengikut perlembagaan Balkis, badan itu dipengerusikan oleh isteri Menteri Besar kerajaan semasa, di mana pada hari mesyuarat tergempar tersebut, beliau bukan lagi isteri Menteri Besar negeri Selangor. Isu itu akan dibawa ke dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri pada mesyuarat yang akan datang.
Pembohongan tentang Konsultansi Juruaudit
Zaharah Kechik pernah berkata bahawa sebelum pemindahan dana RM9.9 juta Balkis juruauditnya pernah dirujuk. Namun, pada 28 April 2008, Juruaudit Balkis, Yee Choon Kong & Co menafikan firma itu pernah dirujuk sebelum pemindahan tersebut. Malah, firma itu beberapa kali menghubungi bendahari Balkis, Suraimi Sapuan, agar beliau menyerahkan rekod-rekod kewangan seperti penyata bank, buku resit rasmi, baucer pembayaran, dokumen sokongan, resit deposit tetap, minit mesyuarat, butiran keahlian dan senarai langganan untuk membolehkannya mengaudit kewangan tahunan Balkis bagi tahun kewangan berakhir 31 Disember 2007. Walau bagaimanapun, panggilan telefon kepada bendahari Balkis tidak dijawab dan juruaudit turut mengesahkan bahawa penyata kewangan Balkis masih kekal tanpa audit dan ia juga tidak pernah mengeluarkan Laporan Audit yang sah berhubung urusan kewangan Balkis bagi tahun berakhir 31 Disember 2007 kepada anggota-anggotanya.