Saturday October 25, 2008

Liu rips into Khir Toyo over Zakaria’s mansion

SHAH ALAM: The late Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros continues to haunt the Selangor state assembly.

Local Government Committee chairman Ronnie Liu lambasted state opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo yesterday for challenging the Pakatan Rakyat state government to take action over the dead man’s mansion in Pandamaran, Klang.

“How can we initiate action against the ‘Klang king’s’ mansion when it was he (Dr Khir) who legalised the palace when he was Yang Amat Berhormat?” asked Liu.

He claimed it was Dr Khir, during his tenure as mentri besar, who provided Zakaria the land at below market price.

He added Zakaria was also let off the hook by merely paying a compound for failing to submit the building plan to the local council on time.

Now, Liu said, action could not be taken against Zakaria’s mansion as the compound had already been paid to the local council during Dr Khir’s time.

He also chastised Dr Khir for complaining about too many massage parlours in Selangor, saying the licences were issued by the former state government.

“We have not issued any massage parlour licence in the state,” said Liu, when answering questions yesterday.

In response, Dr Khir said he brought up the issue about Zakaria’s house because there was still an unresolved problem.

Dr Khir also took Liu to task for suspending Ampang Jaya Municipal Council deputy president Hamid Hussain over the demolition of a Hindu temple in Ampang.

“A government officer cannot be suspended just like that. Only the State Secretary has the right to suspend, not the exco members,” he added.

As Dr Khir continued to argue, Deputy Speaker Haniza Talha ticked him off.

“The opposition leader must realise that he now sits on the other side, and not on the state government’s to give clarification,” she said.