Ijok land issue merely a political attack by BN: Azmin Ali

SHAH ALAM: Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has slammed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly attacking the state government over the Ijok land issue.
In his winding-up speech during a debate on the royal address, Mohamed Azmin said the state government had managed to resolve the long-standing issue involving 987 settlers on the land.
He added Barisan Nasional and Umno should not be making noise over the matter as they had failed to find a solution to the issue during their rule.
"Why is Umno furious at me when I helped the settlers? Why is Umno willing to help the (private) companies instead of the people?
"Why resort to MACC to attack me? MACC officers (in the assembly) take note, tell (MACC commissioner Tan Sri) Dzulkifli Ahmad, do not try to threaten the state government," he said.
The MACC had previously detained seven suspects in connection with the sale of land in Ijok at the value of RM1.18 billion.
The issue had been raised by various BN leaders where they had questioned the transparency of the state government in resolving the dispute.
Mohamed Azmin said the issue was deliberately being played up by BN and Umno as an election issue to attack the state government.
He added he had spoken to Kuala Selangor MP Datuk Seri Irmohizam Ibrahim and BN strategic communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, asking them to clarify the matter.
"I met Irmohizam and asked him, what was all the fuss? He said he was forced by (Selangor BN chairman) Tan Sri Noh Omar to make a statement," he said.
"Then I met with Rahman during parliament opening. He told me that he had to make noise as the general election is getting closer," Mohamed Azmin claimed.
Mohamed Azmin said BN leaders who condemned the state government's effort to resolve the Ijok land issue were confused with the facts of the case.
He added BN leaders had failed to differentiate the three separate plots of land, and instead assumed it as a single entity.
Mohamed Azmin said the state government only owned one part of the land, called Alam Perdana, while the rest were owned by private developers.