PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has rubbished insinuations that a higher price would be paid to water concessionaires in Selangor’s takeover bid of water companies if PKR's ‘Kajang Move’ is successful.
He said that there is "no basis" for such insinuations and that he has not been involved in the negotiations for the water concession takeover.
Asked if there would be a higher price offered to concessionaires should he become menteri besar, he said: "(The price) is a negotiation. Why bring this in?
"I was not privy to the discussions except through the report submitted (to the party) by (MB Abdul) Khalid Ibrahim...
"There was never a counter proposal from us," said Anwar. He added that the claims were made by "desperate people".
He was asked to comment on an articleby former Selangor Menteri Besar's Office staff member Nathaniel Tan who asked if the new MB can guarantee that a higher payout will not be made to the water concessionaires.
In the commentary published by Malaysiakini, Tan pointed out that a major shareholder of water concessionaire Splash is tycoon Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah through his company, The Sweet Water Alliance Sdn Bhd.
Wan Azmi, Tan noted, is also on the board of directors for PKR-linked think-tank Institut Rakyat.
"To ask such a question there must be basis (to it). I question whyMalaysiakini would publish such a thing, I am really surprised," Anwar said after a small gathering in Kampung Sungai Kantan, Kajang.
"You should also ask Khalid (about) this."
Party not consulted
While Anwar has been coy about whether he will take over as MB, the March 23 Kajang by-election is widely seen to have been triggered to get him into state assembly so he can succeed Khalid.
Both Khalid and Anwar, however, have been demure over the change at the top, citing palace politics which could get in the way.
The Khalid administration's offer of more than RM9 billion to take over the four water concessionaires has been rejected, resulting in the MB leaving it to the federal government to invoke Section 114 of the Water Services Industry Act for compulsory takeover.
PKR, however, has decried that Khalid's decision was made without consulting the party.
He said that there is "no basis" for such insinuations and that he has not been involved in the negotiations for the water concession takeover.
Asked if there would be a higher price offered to concessionaires should he become menteri besar, he said: "(The price) is a negotiation. Why bring this in?
"I was not privy to the discussions except through the report submitted (to the party) by (MB Abdul) Khalid Ibrahim...
"There was never a counter proposal from us," said Anwar. He added that the claims were made by "desperate people".
He was asked to comment on an articleby former Selangor Menteri Besar's Office staff member Nathaniel Tan who asked if the new MB can guarantee that a higher payout will not be made to the water concessionaires.In the commentary published by Malaysiakini, Tan pointed out that a major shareholder of water concessionaire Splash is tycoon Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah through his company, The Sweet Water Alliance Sdn Bhd.
Wan Azmi, Tan noted, is also on the board of directors for PKR-linked think-tank Institut Rakyat.
"To ask such a question there must be basis (to it). I question whyMalaysiakini would publish such a thing, I am really surprised," Anwar said after a small gathering in Kampung Sungai Kantan, Kajang.
"You should also ask Khalid (about) this."
Party not consulted
While Anwar has been coy about whether he will take over as MB, the March 23 Kajang by-election is widely seen to have been triggered to get him into state assembly so he can succeed Khalid.
Both Khalid and Anwar, however, have been demure over the change at the top, citing palace politics which could get in the way.
The Khalid administration's offer of more than RM9 billion to take over the four water concessionaires has been rejected, resulting in the MB leaving it to the federal government to invoke Section 114 of the Water Services Industry Act for compulsory takeover.
PKR, however, has decried that Khalid's decision was made without consulting the party.
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