Sanusi ‘ready to sue’ Saifuddin over rare earths theft claim

 

Sanusi Nor says another party was penalised, not Menteri Besar Incorporated which held a permit for a different project at the site where a theft of rare earth elements allegedly took place. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Caretaker Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor is preparing a legal offensive against Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail over allegations linking Sanusi to a theft of rare earth elements.

Sanusi said Saifuddin’s accusations were untrue, malicious and made with political intent.

“I have ordered my officers to lodge a police report and subsequent legal action will be taken based on existing laws,” he said according to Harian Metro.

“I don’t care whether he is a minister or not, I will take a suit (against Saifuddin). It was clear cut that he had accused me of being a thief,” Sanusi said at a press conference after presenting land titles in Bandar Baharu.

Saifuddin, who is also home minister, had said last night that Sanusi should explain whether, as chairman of Menteri Besar Incorporated, he had been penalised with a compound fine of RM500,000 over the alleged rare earths theft in Sik.

Saifuddin was also quoted as saying: “We appointed him as the MB to run the state, not to become a thief.”

Sanusi said another party, not MBI, had been compounded for stealing rare earths. MBI was merely the permit holder for a separate forest farming project at the site, he said.

“A usage permit was issued in the name of MBI which appointed a joint venture company to develop the forest plantation, not the company which was compounded.”

On Saifuddin’s accusations that Sanusi had used funds allocated for road maintenance on other projects, Sanusi said the RM259 million of unspent funds were in the state government’s permanent deposit, and reported in financial statements audited by the national audit department.

“There is absolutely no misuse of allocations as stated by the minister,” he said. - FMT