C4 Center: FT Minister helming YWP 'perpetuates conflict of interest'

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): The fact that Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa continues to helm Federal Territories Foundation (YWP) “perpetuates the conflict of interest that existed during the previous administration”, said Executive Director of C4 Center Cynthia Gabriel.

“Annuar, retaining his powers under the Federal Territory (Planning) Act 1982 (Act 267) to overrule the Kuala Lumpur Mayor on planning issues, is the chairman of a private landowner - YWP, while concurrently carrying the power to have government decisions made in favour of that same private landowner. Clearly, this is an issue of conflict of interest and potentially abuse of power as seen in the past,” Gabriel said in a media release by anti-corruption NGO C4 Center.

“Despite the purported attempts to clear up the land deals, it was a disappointing show from the FT ministry, the actions seemingly compromised due to the stoic defence of the conflicts of interest so evident within the YWP,” said C4 Center in its statement.

As for the issue of the land deals, C4 Center “saw a lack of clarity and opaque explanations from then (previous)-Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad.”

“The transactions had taken place under the purview of former Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan. Despite the change of government, the details remained secret and kept away from the public eye,” it added.

“Despite the purported attempts to clear up the land deals, it was a disappointing show from the FT ministry, the actions seemingly compromised due to the stoic defence of the conflicts of interest so evident within the YWP.

“Worse was that those actions made it more likely for corrupt deals to take place through the failure to address the issue of the land deals upon the completion of the Special Task Force Report,” said the NGO.

C4 Center suggested that “the Special Task Force Report on the issue of the land deals from 2018 to be debated in Parliament” and that “the demanded demand for the Perikatan Nasional government to build greater trust from millions of KL constituents must be met with greater accountability and not threats to sue”.

It was reported yesterday that YWP threatened to sue Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Wong Kah Woh over reports about City Hall’s (DBKL) “dubious land deals”.

The NGO also urged the MACC “to shed details on their prior investigations and reinvestigate the 97 dubious land deals, particularly those involving YWP”.

As for YWP itself, C4 Center wanted it “abolished entirely” rather than “being converted to a statutory body”.

“Instead, the creation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) division within DBKL to take on YWP’s work would allow for better governance and transparency.”

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