The Selangor state assembly has been abuzz with a revelation that Agriculture and Agro-based minister Noh Omar had been involved in pet prawn project at his Tanjong Karang parliamentary constituency.
The revelation was made by Sekinchan state assemblyman Ng Suee Lim who claimed Noh bought 30 acres of land at a heavily discounted price in 1995, the year he won the Tanjong Karang seat.
Last year, Noh inked a deal to rent the land to Pristine Agrofood Sdn Bhd for its prawn farming project in 2011 for 10 years.
“Noh's involvement raises the issue of conflict of interest as he is also the minister responsible for the industry,” Ng said.
The land, originally categorised as a commercial plot, had been converted to agriculture land in 2011.
“The people are having hard time getting lands but a key leader is given land easily. I visited the place and now it has been converted for prawn farming,” Ng added.
Ng furnished a document to back his claim: an agreement between Pristine and Noh.
“I am treating it as a land scandal, as there is proof of conflict of interest," said Ng.
Pristine Agrofood Sdn Bhd director Chu Bak Teck had responded by saying that Noh was merely the landlord and had nothing to do with the business.
"I don't understand why (Ng) would say such things in the state assembly. I am shocked. Why did he do that? This is madness," news portal Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, the Selangor state assembly has passed a new regulation barring any state representatives and local council members to apply for state-owned lands.
-Harakahdaily
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