Come clean on MRB land sale, anti-graft group tells EPF

PETALING JAYA: An NGO today urged the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to come clean on claims by Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok of a 2010 land sale which allegedly caused the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) losses to the tune of RM800 million.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) said the EPF must clarify the matter to ease public concerns.

In a statement, C4 executive director Cynthia Gabriel asked why the previous administration had “forced the transaction of government land to a middle agency which then led to the land sale to EPF for millions of ringgit in profits”.

“It is untenable that a government-linked investment company (GLIC), and more so a pension fund like the EPF, is involved in questionable transactions and business deals without adhering to proper ethical guidelines and standards,” she said.

She also questioned the use of Aset Tanah Nasional Bhd (ATNB) as an intermediary in the transaction between MRB and EPF-owned Kwasa Land Sdn Bhd.

“We urge the Pakatan Harapan government to urgently form an independent committee on GLIC and GLC reforms, to stop these bodies from being used for political financing purposes,” she said.

This comes a day after former prime minister Najib Razak traded barbs with MRB chairman Sankara Nair.

Defending the deal, Najib questioned why Sankara didn’t ask Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng for an explanation on the purchase of the land.

Sankara was quick to hit back, accusing the former prime minister of “pussyfooting” around the issue.

“He doesn’t deserve my answer till he answers my questions,” he said.

Last week, Kok claimed MRB had sold a 2,800-acre plot of land in Sungai Buloh to ATNB for RM1.5 billion.

She said ATNB then sold 2,330 acres of the land to Kwasa Land for RM2.28 billion, a difference of some RM800 million from the original price paid by ATNB. -FMT