IPOH: No calls have been received from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the investigation on the sale of a piece of land in Seri Iskandar proposed for an international airport, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad

       When asked if he knew if any of the state executive councillors would be called to give their statements, the Perak Mentri Besar said; “I believe that the exco members have no relation to this issue.

       “The land is owned by the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP), so I think those MACC might call is the former PKNP chairman, its chief executive officer or the board of directors who served at that time," said Saarani.

       “I will probably be called in my capacity as the current Mentri Besar and the current PKNP chairman,” he added when speaking to reporters after the monthly meet-the-people session held at the Indera Mulia stadium on Tuesday (April 12).

       Last month, Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun said in the State Assembly that the plan to build the airport on a 478ha land area had been approved in 2018.

       Mohd Zolkafly had said 188.13ha of the allocated land owned by PKNP had been sold to a third party.

       The matter came to light after Aulong assemblyman Nga Kor Ming, during the State Assembly sitting on March 29, claimed that the land had been sold without the permission of the state government.

       Four state executive council members in the previous Pakatan Harapan government had claimed that the matter was never discussed at the state executive council or PNKP board of directors meetings during the Pakatan administration.

       On March 31, Saarani had said that the land was sold when Pakatan was in power because during the Barisan Nasional administration, the land was reserved for PKNP for the purpose of building the airport.

       He had also said that the state government would cooperate with the MACC over the matter with fully transparency.