KUALA LUMPUR – Former lawmaker Tony Pua has hit back at “wannabe sheriffs” for equating the appointment of Asia Mobiliti in Selangor Mobility’s Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) pilot project to the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFCorp) scandal.
Pua said that Asia Mobiliti, co-founded and led by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s husband – Ramachandran Muniandy – is fully qualified, unlike NFCorp.
Pua pointed out that scandals arise when firms lack merit, which is not the case with Asia Mobiliti. He also dismissed the notion that Yeoh had any influence in the appointment process, saying she is too minor a player to impact the state government’s decisions.
“This is not even taking into consideration the fact that Hannah has no influence – to be blunt, too small fry to have any influence – in the state government,” he said in a Facebook post today.
“The reality is obvious, Asia Mobiliti secured their contract by merit, which is the key differentiating and defining factor to consider.”
NFCorp was a firm owned by former Wanita Umno chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s husband, Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail.
The firm took on a project to develop the beef industry in Negeri Sembilan but became embroiled in controversy following its investments in luxury properties.
Meanwhile, Pua also noted that Hannah and Ramachandran were naive during the process, as negative perceptions are often used in politics.
“Reality is often coloured by perception. In this case, perception is further clouded by self-declared sheriffs on high horses.
“Unfortunately, perception is a major crux in politics. Like it or not, Hannah has to deal with it.
“There was innocence and naivety in the process and she – and (Ramachandran) – will have to learn from it. But, naivety is not guilt or a crime.”
Pua advised Yeoh to confirm that she is neither involved in the project nor has attempted to influence the Selangor government, and to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in its investigation.
MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki had previously said the agency found no wrongdoing in its preliminary investigation into the issue, but further investigations could be conducted with new leads.
Pua also urged the state government to disclose minutes and decisions on the DRT contracts, its contract with Asia Mobiliti, and the project’s performance thus far.
Recently, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said neither he, Yeoh, nor Selangor Mobility exco Ng Sze Han were involved in the project’s appointment process.
Ng also said Asia Mobiliti and Badan Bas Coach were not selected for the DRT trial through direct negotiations, but had been chosen by the state as the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) had approved them because they were qualified to conduct the DRT. – June 1, 2024