Tuesday April 10, 2012

Investigation into wakaf land sale complete, says MACC

ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has completed investigation into a report lodged by the Madrasah Salihiah Surau action committee against the selling of its wakaf (endowment) land for the Aman Central shopping mall project.

Kedah MACC director Mohamad Yusuff Akope said the investigation report would be submitted to its headquarters in Putrajaya for further action.

Earlier, committee chairman Mansor Ahmad went to the MACC office to submit a letter asking for the progress on the investigation.

The committee reported the case to the MACC on Jan 4, alleging uncertainty over how the land was acquired by the state government and sold to the project developer.

“We believe in the integrity of the MACC in conducting the investigation but as the complainant, we have the right to know the developments in the investigation,” Mansor told reporters after handing the letter to the MACC.

Commission officer Mohd Shukor Mahmud received the letter on behalf of Mohamad Yusuff, who said he would respond once he received a decision from the MACC headquarters.

It was reported that the surau land was part of a 2.8ha plot acquired by the state for the development of the RM500mil Aman Central Mall, scheduled for completion in 2014.

The Kedah Islamic Affairs Council, said to have acted as caretaker of the land, was reportedly paid RM1.48mil by the state government for the land.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak had said that a new surau would be built within the mall to replace the Madrasah Salihiah Surau but this was not accepted by the committee members.

On Jan 9, a committee member filed a suit against the state government to stop the demolition of the century-old surau for the shopping mall project.

Case management is scheduled for today.

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