Rafizi views LTAT land deal after picking up Boustead shares

Rafizi holds up his Boustead share certificates prior to entering the firm’s office in Kuala Lumpur, February 20, 2013. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 ― Rafizi Ramli was allowed today to inspect the federal government’s plan to purchase a plot of land in Bukit Raja, after the PKR strategy director acquired shares in Boustead Holdings Bhd.

On December 31 last year, Rafizi had led a group of army pensioners to view the share and land sale agreement documents, which are available for public viewing, but were stopped by security and staff members for not being shareholders of the company.

“(I used) my own money. This was my first stock purchase ever,” said Rafizi laughing, in front of Menara Boustead here.

Rafizi has bought 100 units of Boustead’s shares at RM4.86 each.

Ten army pensioners gathered to support him today, but only Rafizi was allowed up to the office on the 28th floor to scrutinise the documents.

The same group had protested in front of Menara Boustead over the land purchase on December 31, claiming the move was a form of abuse of power.

The protest came amid the move by Boustead, a unit of government investment fund Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), to buy an 80 per cent stake in businessman Deepak Jaikishan’s company, Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, for RM30 million as well as a RM130 million piece of land from Awan Megah, the firm of Selangor Wanita Umno chief Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Abdullah.

Rafizi previously described the Astacanggih purchase “outright bribery” and a move meant to silence the businessman from making further revelations against the government.