I’ve been framed, Kamil says over support letter allegations

Political secretary to the finance minister says he is being targeted by political rivals and party members with lingering grudges against him.

Kamil Munim has emphasised that he is fully aware of the extent of his role and the finance ministry’s remit.

PUTRAJAYA:

 Kamil Munim, political secretary to the finance minister, has claimed that he is being unfairly targeted in a smear campaign linking him to the controversial practice of issuing support letters for government projects.

Responding to allegations that have gone viral on social media, Kamil said such perceptions had been fuelled by lingering grudges and political rivals, even from within his own party.

He shared with FMT an incident in which several PKR leaders questioned his act of submitting a letter to a government agency in connection with a company seeking to participate in a project.

Kamil, the PKR Youth chief, said his name became embroiled in controversy simply because he submitted a letter to the agency responsible for evaluating a company’s capabilities.

“Some leaders criticised me, claiming that a review of the company showed it wasn’t registered with the Construction Industry Development Board. I explained that this was precisely why the letter was submitted to the agency, as they have a team to conduct such an evaluation.

“There isn’t a single word in that letter suggesting that I supported or approved their application. I received the request, submitted it, and left the decision to the agency. It’s not my call,” he added.

Kamil said he was fully aware of his role and the finance ministry’s remit. “Many people try to bypass the process. Sometimes I don’t even meet them; the letters are just put on my desk.

“I think it’s inappropriate to bypass the proper process. If you want to be involved in this matter or that, it should be assessed at the agency level,” he said.

He also said that he had no authority to approve funding or projects, which rests entirely with finance minister Anwar Ibrahim.

“If people claim that I influence such decisions, to me, that is an insult to our civil service. Perhaps this was a practice in the past – but today, the government ensures proper governance,” he said.

Kamil said his office received hundreds of letters each month, requiring him to dedicate a full day just to review them. Yet in his three years of service, he had never issued a single letter of approval, he said.

“For example, if someone applies for housing assistance, I will forward it to the rural and regional development ministry to assess the need. If the applicant genuinely needs it, the (the ministry) assists.

“If a company applies to participate in a project or tender, I tell them they must follow the established procedures. Go through the appropriate agency or authority,” he added.

Shamsul Iskandar Akin, the former senior political secretary to the prime minister, was previously implicated in allegations of issuing a support letter, which led to calls for his dismissal.

Anwar was reported to have said that he did not agree with the practice, and that the support letter issued by Shamsul did not constitute an instruction. He said that project approvals were not affected by it, as authorities adhered to standard procedures. - FMT