Azmin Ali said elements of wrongdoings have been uncovered following a full audit of the severance package for Abdul Khalid's former aides under the state-owned Mentri Besar Inc (MBI).
Azmin said the state audit department found that Khalid did not follow several procedures when he authorised the severance payments to seven of his aides, who resigned voluntarily.
"Results from the investigation showed there are a few matters that were not adhered to regarding the payouts and the large extraordinary amount needs to be re-looked," he said.
“The audit has come up with a full report about the payment which was made to Tan Sri Khalid’s former staff.
“(We) will bring the report to the board meeting of MBI this Thursday and decide on the next course of action,” said Azmin.
Meanwhile, when asked about the audit, former MB Khalid admitted he was in the dark about the actual amount for the severance payments of his former aides and expressed doubt that it amounted up to RM2.5 million.
“If the calculation is correct, then it’s correct but I don’t think so,” said Khalid adding that he had followed all procedures and it can be audited.
He had described the payment as a severance package offered to the officers following the changes that took place in Selangor leadership recently and the decision on the amount was made by MBI.
The MBI Board is made up of the Menteri Besar, State Secretary and State Financial Officer.
Khalid also disclosed in a report that MBI had RM 112 million in reserves and the reported RM2.5 million, if true, would have come from these reserves and in any case doesn’t amount to much.
This severance payment issue is expected to be brought up during the State Assembly meeting at the end of this month.
Khalid’s former aides were all appointed since he was named as MB after the 2008 general election and continued to serve for him until he vacated the Selangor MB office on September 22, following months of infighting within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
The MB crisis in Selangor had dominated the news for weeks after Khalid was expelled from PKR for refusing to relinquish the post.
On Aug 9, PKR disciplinary committee chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong said that Khalid had defied the party leadership council, which agreed to appoint Kajang assemblywoman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the Selangor MB.
Dr Wan Azizah was nominated for the post after PKR leader Anwar was disqualified in the by-election for the Kajang state seat under the so called “Kajang Move.” Abdul Khalid also lost the majority support in the state assembly following the withdrawal of support from PAS.
Eyes will be on Azmin over how he will handle this latest issue. With trouble over clash of personalities having dogged the State Government's administration for more than a year, the question is whether the new MB will play this without letting personal feelings into the equation.
By Ayu Musa Kamal
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