KUALA LUMPUR – PKR vice-president Datuk Xavier Jayakumar has denied a report that his party’s Perak deputy chief, who has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, is his aide, clarifying that M.A. Thinagaran is a close family friend.
The Kuala Langat MP, in a statement today, said he wants to clear his name after having been implicated in an article by news portal Malaysia Now on the investigation into Thinagaran in relation to sand mining projects awarded during Xavier’s tenure as water, land and natural resources minister.
“In a recent media report, my name was implicated, and it has brought prejudice against me as an elected representative.
“Acting on the advice of my family and friends, I am here to clear my name with the authorities.
“Leaders tied to corruption must be accountable to preserve the integrity of our institution, and we are responsible for showing good governance.
“Major decisions made by the ministry must be approved collectively in the cabinet.
“I also hope for the public to show respect to the authorities in the handling of the investigation involving M.A. Thinagaran, who is not an aide of mine as falsely reported, but a close family friend.”
Malaysia Now said Xavier used a luxury car purportedly owned by Thinagaran, which has been seized by the anti-graft agency, as his official vehicle during his time in Putrajaya.
Xavier was in the cabinet of the Pakatan Harapan government from July 2018 to February last year.
One of Xavier’s aides told The Vibes that his boss only started using the car after the fall of the PH administration.
Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, too, has rubbished the Malaysia Now report, which alleged that assets and cash worth millions belonging to his deputy were seized.
In a statement, he said only RM17,000 in small denominations was taken by MACC to facilitate the probe into Thinagaran. – The Vibes, February 17, 2021
