Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd’s (Asia Mobiliti) appointment as one of the two companies for Selangor’s Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) project has tarnished Hannah Yeoh’s moral ground, claimed Khairy Jamaluddin.
This is as the company’s CEO is the youth and sports minister’s husband Ramachandran Muniandy.
Khairy said the DAP leader is one of the Pakatan Harapan lawmakers who adopted a “sanctimonious” stance throughout her political career, especially when BN was in power.
“One of the Harapan leaders who tried to show that she was sanctimonious, and morally superior, was actually Yeoh.
“While she had vehemently criticised crony capitalism in the previous BN administration, recent events suggest that she is now facing similar accusations herself,” Khairy (above) said in the latest episode of his “Keluar Sekejap” podcast.
Yesterday, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said his administration had nothing to hide about the matter, and that he was willing to furnish appointment details upon request.
On Wednesday, Selangor exco member Ng Sze Han said the companies were selected through a Request for Proposal process and not via a tender.
Code of conduct
Khairy’s co-host Shahril Hamdan proposed the implementation of a ministerial code of conduct, which would require ministers to declare any business dealings involving their spouses, to promote transparency.
Shahril said the guidelines, similar to the ones in Singapore and the UK, are necessary to prevent conflicts of interest, as well as nepotism and cronyism at the highest levels of the government.
Mandating public disclosure of cabinet members’ spouses’ business affairs would help hold the former accountable, he opined.
“I’m sure Ramachandran is a legitimate and well-deserving businessperson, but the issue is that he is a minister’s husband.
“So how do you manage both sides? He deserves a career as well,” Shahril added.
Khairy concurred with Shahril’s proposal, emphasising that politicians should never get involved in any government decisions (in affairs related to their spouses), either directly or indirectly.
However, the former Rembau MP said calls for Yeoh and Ramachandran to quit over conflict-of-interest allegations are “extreme and unfair” at this stage.
He recalled previous instances where ministers recused themselves from a meeting when the cabinet discussed business deals involving their spouses.
“This was a common practice and was included in the minutes of the meeting.”
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, who is also Yeoh’s colleague in DAP, previously dubbed calls for the latter to resign over the matter unfair.
Yeoh herself has yet to issue any statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, PAS slammed MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki for "pre-empting" investigations by clearing Asia Mobiliti of any wrongdoing in the issue.
Premature conclusion
Selangor PAS exco member Muiz Mahyuddin questioned how MACC arrived at such a conclusion without conducting any probe.
"What's weird is this 'interim' probe did not involve any document or evidence gathering, nor were any raids conducted, or witnesses called.
"I want to ask MACC how did it come to such a premature conclusion," Muiz said in a statement today.
Azam previously said that he saw no issue with the Selangor state government awarding the project to Asia Mobiliti as it was not awarded by Yeoh’s ministry.
Muiz urged MACC to start probing the issue and carry out raids if needed.
"Isn't such methods common SOP (standard operating procedures) for the MACC, often used against Perikatan Nasional lawmakers?
"Isn't MACC's motto 'Trust, Firm, and Fair'? I urge them to investigate this case trustfully and firmly by being fair to all parties."
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.