KUALA LUMPUR – Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has been slapped with a notice of demand from Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP) requesting RM10 million in compensation, among others, over his comments on the foundation.
His remarks, made at a press conference at the Parliament building on November 18, last year, were on the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) report on land deals involving Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The PKR man said he received the notice dated December 4 through YWP’s law firm, Shahul Hamidi & Haziq.
He said several other Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs have also received similar notices from YWP for press statements they issued, but did not elaborate on the demands.
They are Wong Kah Woh (PAC chairman and Ipoh Timur MP), Tan Kok Wai (Cheras MP), Hannah Yeoh (Segambut MP), Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad (Parit Sulong MP) and Lim Lim Eng (Kepong MP).
“On December 26, 2020, our lawyer, Syahredzan Johan, has replied to YWP’s lawyers,” Nik Nazmi said in a statement today.
“I will not be intimidated by their action and will continue to exercise my duties as a legislator and stand up for my constituents.”
In PAC’s report on the DBKL land deals, it concluded that the Federal Territories minister and the Kuala Lumpur mayor are in a potential conflict of interest as they both automatically hold the positions of chairman and trustee of YWP, respectively.
The committee also proposed that YWP’s structure be looked into and the entity reconstituted as a statutory body.
Following the release of the report, opposition Kuala Lumpur MPs urged the government to abolish YWP, which was found to have been involved in the purchase of DBKL land.
They also demanded an explanation from Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
Annuar, in a separate press conference, had said YWP will remain a foundation chaired by the minister and dismissed concerns of conflicts of interest.
Nik Nazmi also questioned why YWP has not taken similar action against other members of the PAC involved in the probe, notably Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, who was then PAC chairman.
He said the DBKL land deal proceedings were held in 2019, when Noraini led the committee. – The Vibes, January 19, 2021
