Ex-MB Khalid claims moral victory over RM2.7m payout ruling

Former Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim said the court ruling yesterday that his RM2.7 million payout to his staff prior to stepping down was lawful has vindicated him.

“Honestly, I am not surprised by the court’s decision because I am very confident I have been transparent and ethical in issuing the payment, and the process was in accordance with the provisions of Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI).

“I am grateful for today’s decision because it has cleared me of allegations of misconduct while serving as the menteri besar,” he said on Facebook last night.

He said Menteri Besar Azmin Ali's court action over the sum was malicious and politically motived.

Khalid had given compensation to eight former MBI officers - chief executive officer Faekah Hussin; Rohani Talib; Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz; Mustapha Mohd Talib; Rahimah Kamarudin; Sulaiman Masri; Abdul Halim Mohamed Yusof; and Tuan Nazuri Tuan Ismail – when he quit after the long-drawn Selangor menteri besar crisis in 2014.

On Jan 16, 2015 Azmin ordered that they return the compensation money of between RM114,870 and RM699,000 each, which allegedly breached the state government’s financial procedures, failing which MBI initiated legal proceedings.

'Covering own weaknesses'

Khalid said Shah Alam High Court yesterday rejected MBI's claim and ruled that the payouts had not broken any laws, administrative ethics and MBI's financial regulations.

“The judge also ruled the payments […] were in accordance with MBI's financial procedures,” said Khalid.

However, he expects Azmin to appeal the ruling “as an effort to cover up “shortcomings and leakages” of the latter's administration.

He shot back at his successor over the Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings Bhd (Splash) takeover deal which he said was overpriced, and urged the people to be wary.

“The people need to be concerned about (the state's) spending and ensure that every ringgit spent yields proportionate returns,” he said.

He added a good administration is not only measured by how it manages the state's resource, but “the most important concept is that of stopping leakages”.- Mkini