Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji, head of the National Patriots Association, said in a statement: “A scandal is still a scandal however trivial, and must be investigated with full vigour of the law.”
A member of PPBM Youth, Mohd Noorhisyam Abd Karim, is alleged to have collected about RM5,000 rent for each of the 80 lots at the Masjid India area in Kuala Lumpur for a Ramadan bazaar. He has denied the allegation.
Arshad said MPs and assemblyman of Pakatan Harapan should be extra careful in making recommendations for licences, permits, contract works, and projects.
Similarly, civil servants in local governments, government agencies and departments, he said, need not fear politicians or feel obliged to act on letters of recommendation.
“As long as standard operating procedures are followed, and decisions are made for the good of the wider populace, there should be no fear,” he said, adding his hopes that this first “red mark” incident is also the last.
The Ramadan bazaar controversy arose when Noorhisyam was alleged to have taken money from the traders. He was reported to have said that the only funds he collected were to pay for City Hall’s RM6,238 fee.
An official of Kuala Lumpur City Hall has said the Licensing Department felt obliged to approve Noorhisyam’s application to set up a bazaar after receiving a support letter from Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun.