KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim only meant to receive RM1 annually as a “symbolic salary” during his time as Selangor economic adviser in 2009, said a state spokesman.
In a Facebook post today, Juwairiya Zulkifli, who is political secretary to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, said the salary was not paid to Anwar since his appointment date.
“(Anwar) did not receive any allowance or privileges other than the RM1 salary,” she said, adding that the matter had been recorded in the state assembly’s Hansard.
The Bukit Melawati assemblyman’s statement follows Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claims that prior to becoming prime minister, Anwar, who is the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader, had pocketed RM15 million from the Selangor government for the state title.
Muhyiddin was alleged to have said this last night during a ceramah programme while campaigning for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat.
Anwar was appointed Selangor economic adviser in November 2009 when the late Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was the state’s menteri besar, continuing to hold the post when the state was under the leadership of Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Meanwhile, Juwairiya said such accusations are merely “repetitions of slander” that have been “repeatedly denied”, including by Khalid in his answers during the state assembly sittings.
“By recycling this baseless allegation, PN is showing their desperation and lack of political capital after their campaigning efforts failed to (allow them to) form the federal government (after the 15th general election),” she said.
“The act of spreading false accusations to cloud the minds of the people is very irresponsible and is an obvious detour from the Malay-Muslim politics that they (PN) always preach.
“I am confident that Padang Serai voters will reject PN at the polls today (because PN) is still looking to garner votes through slander and fabrication.”
Polling for the constituency, along with the Tioman state seat, began at 8am today after being deferred due to deaths of candidates during GE15. – The Vibes, December 7, 2022
