Pay back RM1.2m windfall, two ex-MBI heads told
V Anbalagan | May 25, 2018
Former chief executive Faekah Husin and chief operating officer Rohani Talib ordered to return their severance payments.
Former MBI chief executive Faekah Husin must return a “golden handshake” of RM695,400. (Facebook pic)
PUTRAJAYA: Two former senior staff of former Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim must return their “golden handshake” payments amounting to RM1.219 million which were awarded after Khalid was removed from office in 2014.
The Court of Appeal held that Khalid was not authorised to approve the payment, of RM695,400 to Faekah Husin, former chief executive of Menteri Besar Incorporated, and RM524,400 to chief operating officer Rohani Talib.
Six others, who had also received payments from a total of RM2.7 million in compensation, were allowed to keep the money when the Selangor government abandoned an appeal against them today.
Arfa’eza Abdul Aziz had been paid RM476,935; Mustapha Mohd Talib RM265,320; Rahimah Kamarudin RM265,650; Dr Sulaiman Masri RM182,385; Abdul Halim Mohamed Yusof RM186,300; and Tuan Nazuri Tuan Ismail RM115,200.
Last year the High Court had held that the payments to all eight had been legally made. MBI then appealed.
Gopal Sri Ram, who represented MBI, submitted to the three-member bench chaired by Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat that Khalid had acted unilaterally to approve the payments.
He said MBI’s board of directors had decided that the eight staff were entitled to compensation under a voluntary separation scheme but the amount was not fixed.
Faekah and Rohani submitted a memorandum to Khalid, who was MBI chairman, and obtained sanction to make payment. “The board did not make a decision but instead it was Khalid who decided unilaterally,” said Sri Ram who was assisted by Edwin Lim.
The eight employees, who worked in Khalid’s office, had lost their jobs when he was ousted.
Faekah said she had received a letter from the state in January 2015, demanding that she return the “golden handshake” received in November 2014 during Khalid’s last days in office. She denied there was any wrongdoing in the severance payments that she and the others received.
The demand for the return of the money came after Azmin Ali, who replaced Khalid as Selangor menteri besar, said that an investigation had uncovered violation of procedures and financial regulations when the payments were made.
The payments were for RM2.27 million in compensation and RM376,000 in lieu of three months’ notice.
