Noh Omar says has proof of Selangor sand graft

By Shannon Teoh

February 14, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Datuk Seri Noh Omar claimed today he had proof of graft by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in awarding sand mining permits in Selangor and challenged the state government to open investigations into the matter.

The Selangor Umno deputy chief said “Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim should not pretend and lie to the public” as he had receipts, statutory declarations and other documents from sand contractors complaining of graft by the PKR-led government.

“We have proof. Khalid wants proof, we can give it to him,” the agriculture and agro-based industry minister told reporters today.

The issue was reignited after self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin accused two Selangor PKR assemblymen of receiving bribes in the state’s sand-mining projects last week.

But the duo, Shuhaimi Shafei (Sri Muda assemblyman) and Amiruddin Shari (Batu Caves), have denied the Malaysia Today editor’s claims.

The Selangor prince had claimed that businessman Datuk Patrick Wong was murdered in 2009 to prevent the sand mining scandal under PR from being exposed.

Noh (picture) also accused the state assembly’s Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) of dropping investigations into the state’s sand mining industry.

“The Selcat’s role seems to be to expose the weaknesses of Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders. But it does not act against their own leaders. Why has it stopped probing this matter?” the Tanjong Karang MP said.