Explain Support For Proposed Sale Lease Of Mrb Land Minister Told

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Teresa Kok reminds Khairuddin Aman Razali that MRB’s money belongs to the people.PETALING JAYA: A former federal minister has called on her successor to come clean over allegations linking him to a plan involving the sale of prime land in Kuala Lumpur belonging to the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB).
Former plantation industries and commodities minister Teresa Kok said based on purported correspondence between Khairuddin Aman Razali’s office and MRB, which Khairuddin had not denied, a plot of land would have been leased to a PAS-related foundation, Al-Noor Foundation, for RM0.70 per sq ft.
In addition, an 8.8-acre prime lot, known as heritage land at Jalan Ampang , would have been sold to another party at RM1,032.92 per sq ft, she said.
Earlier, MRB confirmed receiving applications from several companies to buy the lots at Jalan Ampang, but said the matter had yet to be decided by its board of directors.
“All sale or lease of land owned by MRB must be approved by the board before being brought forward to plantation industries and commodities minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali for approval,” it said in a statement.
But Kok labelled MRB’s denial a “hollow gimmick”.
“The official correspondences viral in the social media should be investigated by MACC,” she said, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
She said copies of the “letters” that had gone viral on social media even had notations of the minister on them, allegedly informing MRB that he supported the sale and lease.
In both the cases, Kok said, the quotations were below the market price as the rate stood at RM2.50 per sq ft for the lease and an estimated price of between RM1,500 and RM 1,800 per sq ft for the prime lot.
She said if the documents and accusations were true, Khairuddin was “duty bound” to explain the reasons why he agreed with the sale and lease of the prime land for MRB to consider despite they being below the market rates.
“Khairuddin must understand that all funds of MRB belong to the rubber industry and to the public.
“He must justify any move to deal with the assets of MRB. He should not interfere with the independence of the MRB board,” she said in a statement.
In its denial of the allegations, MRB said no lease agreement or sale and purchase transaction had been signed with any party on the two lots of land.
It confirmed receiving applications from several companies to buy the lots at Jalan Ampang, but said the matter has yet to be decided by its board. - FMT

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