Division chief livid Bersatu's name dragged into bazaar scandal

The Ramadan bazaar scandal in the heart of Kuala Lumpur involving a Bersatu Youth leader has left his division chief fuming.

Bukit Bintang Bersatu chief Zailani Isausuludin said he only learned about Mohd Noorhisyam Abd Karim's alleged actions when he was approached by traders over the matter.

"This happened completely outside of my knowledge. We did not know anything until this issue surfaced and traders came to see me complaining why the bazaar lots were so expensive.

"If he had used his own name as a citizen to do this, that's different, but why did he use the party's name and why did he use his position?" he told Malaysiakini.

Mohd Noorhisyam (photo) is accused of misusing political connections to secure rights to 80 bazaar lots in Jalan Masjid India and then renting it out for as high as RM5,000 per lot, making a cool RM400,000 in the process.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had only charged him RM6,238 for all 80 lots.

Zailani said Mohd Noorhisyam, whom he handpicked to be the division Youth chief, had violated the principles of Pakatan Harapan.

He said traders should be dealing with DBKL directly instead of middlemen as was the alleged practice under the previous-BN government.

Zailani said he would work with Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to lodge a MACC report over the matter.

Meanwhile, there are allegations that Bukit Bintang division secretary Razak Zabir and information chief Azrul Feisal Abdullah were also involved in the scandal.

The pair, however, denied this.

"I deny any involvement," Azrul told Malaysiakini.

Whereas, Razak said his involvement was to the extent of giving Mohd Noorhisyam a letter of support on behalf of the division, for a meeting with Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Loon.

"Mohd Noorhisyam made a proposal to be involved in the (bazaar) and he requested a letter of support, that's all," he added.

Mohd Noorhisyam had met Fong to secure another letter of support to convince DBKL of his proposal.

Fong told Malaysiakini he had given the letter after the Bersatu Youth leader promised that no money would be involved and that the bazaar would not obstruct traffic to the existing brick and mortar shops in the area.

Mohd Noorhisyam has since denied the allegations against him, and told Malaysiakini that he had not taken any money from traders. -Mkini