Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
SHAH ALAM: Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said he has not been informed about or received an invitation for a purported Kumpulan Hartanah Selangor Berhad (KHSB) Board of Directors meeting allegedly set to be held overseas.
The Mentri Besar said any activities abroad involving state government subsidiaries require approval from the company's board of directors and must be brought to the attention of the state executive council before being forwarded to the Menteri Besar's Office.
"Even though my name was mentioned, I am unaware of this as the matter has not yet reached the company's board of directors. Even if it does, it does not necessarily mean I have to agree with the proposal.
"Any overseas activity or meeting must consider the interests and needs of the company, such as having assets or projects at the proposed location that need to be visited during the activity,” he told reporters after witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the SkyCity tower at the i-City digital city here on Tuesday (Aug 6).
On July 31, KHSB stated that a report by a news portal claiming that the company's Board of Directors meeting would be held in Perth, Australia from Aug 23 to 27 did not accurately reflect the situation as it was merely an internal proposal that had not yet received any approval from the KHSB Board of Directors.
Amirudin said he was leaving it to the KHSB Board of Directors to decide whether to reconsider the internal proposal but stressed that any planned activities must consider the company's needs and capacities, as well as have a direct connection to KHSB's interests.
In another development, Amirudin said the state government is aware of residents' concerns regarding foreign workers residing in rented flats and shop houses.
He said efforts to address the accommodation issues for foreign workers are underway with the development of Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) projects, including one at Laman Bestari, Bandar Sultan Suleiman in Klang.
"This issue occurs everywhere, both domestically and internationally. The state government, along with local authorities, must coordinate efforts, such as focusing on the development of ongoing CLQ projects.
"However, the current situation also depends on property owners willing to rent their premises to foreign workers. If they were not rented out to them, the workers would not be able to reside there,” he said, responding to a newspaper report about over 1,000 foreign workers 'occupying' residential areas in Puncak Alam by taking over flats and shop houses.
Amirudin said there are currently no restrictions on property owners renting their premises to foreign workers, as it is their right as long as both parties do not engage in illegal activities.- Bernama
