KUALA LUMPUR: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok has queried Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak over the “dubious” sale of the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) land at Sungai Buloh known as Lot 481.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, she said the former prime minister must respond to all the direct and pointed questions thrown at him over the land sale.
“This matter is serious and involved public money, both that of MRB and the Employees Provident Fund,” she said.
Kok said Najib had remained evasive from the start and kept "beating around the bush" when criticising the government’s revelation of the sale transaction which was directed by the Cabinet under him.
“Anyone can see that a direct sale to EPF would have been most logical and would have benefited the poor and deserving contributors of EPF immensely.
“Why was Aset Tanah Nasional Berhad, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) by the Ministry of Finance of which Najib had control of was used to cream off almost RM800mil in this unwarranted sale? Why was EPF deprived of the discount?” she asked.
ATNB is an incorporated company limited by guarantee, like many GLCs and unlike MOF and other government ministries, is not subject to very stringent financial restrictions.
“This is precisely why many GLCs have become the subject of investigations since Pakatan Harapan took over the government,” she said.
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