‘Explain RM1.5m payout to actress’

K Pragalath

PKR gives Rural Development Minister a week to reveal his source of income.

KUALA LUMPUR: Rural Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal has been asked to explain allegations that he had paid a popular local actress up to RM1.5 million in four months.

PKR’s Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin higlighted the matter after a police report was lodged by Noor Azman Azemi, 38, a driver to the actress, on March 13, at the Ampang police station.

Noor Azman said he had lodged the report following an accusation by the actress on March 3 that he had absconded with RM200,000.

“We’ll give the minister a week to explain himself,” said Zuraida, who revealed the contents of the report at the Parliament lobby and questioned the source of the minister’s funds.

Zuraida claimed that the actress had received RM58,000 last October, RM112,000 in November and RM330,000 in December, as well as RM510,000 in January this year.

She said Noor Azman claimed to have been assigned by the minister to work as a driver to the actress three years ago.

Noor Azman said the minister told him to keep tabs on the actress and had helped him channel the funds into the actress’ personal account.

He further claimed in the report that the minister met the actress each week in hotels around Kuala Lumpur.

“At every meeting, he would hand over RM100,000 to RM200,000 to the actress,” alleged Noor Azman.

He said he resigned on Feb 29 this year, as he could not manage the pressure of working for the minister.

Also at the press conference were PKR’s Subang MP R Sivarasa and former singer Dayangku Intan Tengku Abdul Hamid.

Sivarasa said: “A minister would obtain at most about RM40,000 per month so we want to know his source of income.”