MACC, why probe me and not Zambry, asks Ngeh

Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham has questioned why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is probing allegations against him over the Kelantan land deal allegation, but not Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

"Did the MACC investigate Zambry for allegedly approving lands worth billions of ringgit to Umno leaders and cronies? 

“I have made the report many months ago," said Ngeh in a text message to Malaysiakini.

He was responding to MACC who was reported having initiated investigations into allegations raised by BN leaders related to forest land in Gua Musang that Kelantan had allocated to a company for plantation purposes.

According to English daily New Straits Timestoday, the MACC is investigating the Kelantan government’s rubber and palm oil project with Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd, that Ngeh (left) and his cousin and Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming bought stakes in this year.

MACC investigation director Mustafar Ali confirmed with NST that action is being taken but has refused to divulge the details on the nature and scope of the investigation.

The daily also quoted a source as saying that investigations had started to ascertain if there were elements of irregularities or inducement in the project.

Ngeh, who is Setiawan assemblyperson and Beruas MP, toldMalaysiakini that the anti-graft body has yet to contact him about the said probe.

Meanwhile in October 2011 he lodged a report accusing Zambry of selling nearly 28,000 hectares of land at a loss of at least RM1.2 billion.

Asking Zambry to reveal the names of those who received the lands, Ngeh claimed he has concrete proof to back his allegation.

Zambry has since denied the allegation and decided to take Ngeh to court.

Missing forest for trees

A pro-Umno blogger recently stirred up allegations that Kelantan had given 10,526 hectares of the Gua Musang land to Ngeh in exchange for agreeing to PAS' Pasir Panjang assemblyperson Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as Perak menteri besar when the opposition won the state in 2008.

The allegation was then repeated and amplified by Umno and MCA leaders and in the pro-BN mainstream media.

Ngeh has denied the allegation, showing documents that indicate he and Nga, who is also the Pasar Remis assemblyperson and Taiping MP, bought Upayapadu Plantation through open market this year.

The Kelantan state government also clarified that in 2006 the land was leased to the company, which was then chaired by businessman Wong Yeon Chai, to generate income for the operations of the Kelantan Islamic Foundation.

The state government also furnished documents to prove that the land deal in 2005 was approved and supported by the then-plantation industries and commodities minister Peter Chin Kah Fui and the then-rural and regional development deputy minister Awang Adek Hussin.

However pro-government dailies continue to harp on the clearing of the Gua Musang forest, although such land clearing issues are also common in BN-held states such as Sarawak.