Sanusi ready to sue Saifuddin for 'false and misleading' statement on state funds

BANDAR BAHARU - Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor says he will take legal action against Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in relation to the Malaysian Road Record Information System (Marris) fund issue and the theft of rare earth elements (REE).

Sanusi, the electoral director of Perikatan Nasional (PN) claimed the information provided by the Home Minister was false and misleading, suggesting political motivations behind it.

Sanusi said the Menteri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI) was not compounded for stealing minerals because the agency is a permit holder of the plantation area where the theft had occurred.

"A usage permit was issued in the name of MBI which appointed a joint venture company to develop a plantation.

"A third party was compounded for trespassing and committing theft (of REE). In the Land and Mines Office (PTG) documents, there are names of those who committed the offences under Section 426 of the National Land Code 1965," he said.

He said this to the media after a land grant handover ceremony in Bandar Baru, today.

"The accusation of me stealing was clear cut. I will take legal action," he said.

Sinar previously reported Saifuddin's disclosure of MBI Kedah receiving a compound of RM500,000 for being involved in a theft of REE in Kampung Chong, Sik.

According to Saifuddin, the compound was issued on Oct 4 last year by the then state land and mines director Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa and was addressed to MBI chairman Sanusi.

Commenting further, Sanusi said that he has documents and advised Saifuddin to not interfere in other ministries' affairs.

"We the state government are not an office next to some waste water. Now, the Home Ministry wants to do the work of the Natural Resources Ministry? Go take care of Home Ministry which has many issues.

"I have explained this issue in the state assembly before and I have never received a summon or compound," he said.

Additionally, Sanusi said the remaining unspent allocation of RM259 million from Marris is in the state government's permanent deposit and this information has been disclosed in financial statements and audited by the National Audit Department.

"There is absolutely no misuse of allocation as stated by the minister. If there is, of course it would have been raised in the Auditor General's report," claimed Sanusi.

"What was brought up by the National Audit was the remaining allocation before 2014. If a financial misconduct did take place, it happened before 2014, not during my government's administration," he said.