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| PKR persoal moral @khalid_ibrahim |
PKR revealed today that “dubious” business dealings involving Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim were among reasons for his ouster, in a full report to be submitted to Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
Secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail tasked to prepare the report consisting of more than 50 pages of notes including from party meeting minutes as well as relevant court rulings, said there were questions about Khalid’s integrity and so far, he has not given satisfactory explanations on those issues.
“For example, one of the explanations include the negotiations to resolve debts with Bank Islam which is questionable with regards to the mentri besar’s integrity.
“Especially when news about the negotiations to settle the debt was made public through the media, so one or two months after that, we found there were a couple of developments which strengthened our doubts involving hundreds of millions of ringgit in business deals which profited Eco World Berhad, a company controlled by Tan Sri Rashid Manaf,” he told reporters at the PKR headquarters.
The former Machang MP said the “tip of the iceberg” came after the debt settlement between Khalid and Bank Islam when Tropicana Corporation Berhad announced in March that it sold 308.72 acres of land bought from the Selangor government last year to Eco World.
Less than a week later, Khalid reportedly awarded Eco World a contract to build 2,400 affordable houses in Sungai Sering, Ukay Perdana, estimated to be worth RM591 million.
The project was initially negotiated with another company over the past few years, Saifuddin added.
“This was among the few things the party demanded an explanation for, but did not get a satisfactory answer, which adds to questions about his integrity as a civil servant.
“I didn’t say [Khalid is corrupt] but we asked for explanations... it is not my role to prosecute anyone,” Saifuddin replied when asked if there were criminal elements in the party’s findings and if any reports were lodged with the country’s anti-graft body or with the police.
He also admitted that the ongoing imbroglio has led PKR and the federal opposition coalition to lose some of its supporters, but said he was confident that they will return once the issue is resolved.
“It’s not like as if the support we’ve lost would automatically go to Umno, Barisan Nasional.
“We are praying hard that this will be resolved as soon as possible,” he said, without offering a timeframe.
He added that the rushed decision to sign the water restructuring exercise in the state between Khalid and the federal government was also one of the issues in the report.
A PR committee consisting of Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad from PAS, Tony Pua from DAP and PKR’s Rafizi Ramli was set up to assist Khalid in deciding on the issue, but was purportedly not consulted prior to the agreement.
Saifuddin added that this was despite Khalid’s agreement to the committee during a meeting with PR heavyweights Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Lim Kit Siang early this year.
“There is a committee which we have asked nicely, so that when Tan Sri Khalid handles the water restructuring process in Selangor, he would also consider Pakatan Rakyat’s views, then he can decide.
“But in this case, even after agreeing to the committee, the process took place as if the committee does not exist. That’s the issue.
“We have a mentri besar who does not practise accountability to the party and to Pakatan,” he said.
In light of the disagreement within PAS to remove Khalid, Saifuddin said he hoped that the report would shed light to the reasons behind the party’s decision to take such a drastic move.
DAP and several progressive PAS leaders have agreed to nominate Anwar’s wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to replace Khalid.
However, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat have questioned the decision
PAS leaders are scheduled to meet on August 10 to decide on the next move.
Meanwhile, Khalid has insisted that he will not resign and will serve until his second term ends.
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