I removed tycoon as adviser, not Perak sultan, says MB
FMT Reporters
-November 2, 2018 6:11 PM
Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu says the businessman made a ‘very serious’ allegation that the late Perak Sultan Azlan Shah had bestowed state titles through ‘corrupt practices’. (Bernama pic)GEORGE TOWN: Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu today clarified it was his decision to drop a former construction industry captain as a member of a state economic advisory board, following claims that the state’s ruler was involved in removing him.
Faizal said Koon Yew Yin was removed after the businessman made “very serious” allegations that the late Perak Sultan Azlan Shah had bestowed state titles through “corrupt practices”.
In a statement today, Faizal said Koon’s claims had sullied the good name of the late sultan, who was once Lord President of the Federal Court and loved by his subjects.
“This was made worse by Koon uploading unsubstantiated claims on social media of interference by the present Perak Sultan, Nazrin Shah.
“[…] Koon’s attempt to sully the Perak royal institution is unacceptable. It must be defended at all costs.
“Hence, I have decided to discontinue his service as a member of the State Economic Advisory Council (SEAC).
“I deny that there has been any meddling by the Perak palace in this matter,” Faizal said.
Earlier today, Koon alleged the Perak palace had objected to his appointment as a state economic adviser.
He said he had earlier been told by phone by the MB’s secretary that an appointment letter was being posted to him but he never received it.
He said the palace was unhappy over his earlier article on the late Perak sultan which suggested that the ruler allegedly offered state titles for a price.
The Perak palace, in a statement today, vehemently denied Koon’s claims, saying it had no hand in what was decided by the state government.
The Perak SEAC was formed to “aggressively” encourage more investments in Perak and to increase job opportunities and encourage economic growth, the official state publication, Perak Daily, reported.
In July, Koon was nominated among six others to sit on a panel headed by Anuar Zaini, who is former national news agency Bernama’s chief.
Koon is a former civil engineer from the Public Works Department who later co-founded construction giant IJM Corporation Bhd, Mudajaya Group Bhd and Gamuda Bhd. He is known for generously awarding scholarships to poor students.
The other six members in the SEAC include deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Nga Kor Ming; MK Land Holdings founder Mustafa Kamal, KL-Kepong Berhad managing director Lee Ooi Hian; former Malaysian Investment Development Authority deputy director-general J Jegathesan; and former Perak state secretary Shamsudin Mat Dubi.
In an immediate response, Koon told FMT it was fine if the MB did not want him to be part of the SEAC any more.
“If he (Faizal) does not want me, then forget about it then.
“I am not going to beg. I am not getting a sen from this. I just wanted to help.”
