Malacca urged to put off disposing of documents to avoid misunderstanding

MALACCA: All Malacca state government departments and agencies have been advised to postpone the disposal of documents to avoid misunderstanding which could raise various questions.
Kota Malacca MP Khoo Poay Tiong said the move to dispose of documents at this time could be misconstrued as hiding something and should be carried out after the appointment of the new executive council.
"Presently it is very sensitive, we know one of the agencies told to stop disposing of documents is the Malacca Historic City Council (MBMB) as about 30 black plastic bags containing documents were heading for disposal yesterday.
"MBMB personnel told me that the documents to be disposed of were more than five years old but our inspection found the documents were only three years old and contradicted with what was said," he told a press conference at Seri Bendahara, Ayer Keroh here today.
Also present was Kesidang assemblyman, Seah Shoo Chin who is also Melaka DAP organising secretary.
Khoo who is also Malacca DAP secretary said among the documents involved were from the MBMB Licensing and Health Department on Ramadan Bazaar rental rates which appeared to be different and burdening to traders.
"Therefore to avoid any misunderstanding, state government departments and agencies have been told to delay the disposal of documents and I will meet the new Malacca Chief Minister Adly Zahari on issuing a directive," he said.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also ordered all ministries not to dispose or destroy any sensitive documents effective yesterday.
Meanwhile, Khoo said the state government would be conducting investigations into unreasonable expenditure during the previous administration.
He said among the expenses which would be investigated involved the upgrading and restoration of Seri Bendahara which is the Chief Minister's official residence from 2013 to 2017 which was believed to have exceeded RM2.2 million.
"The expenditure among others involved a car park to accommodate six vehicles amounting to RM309,000, piping maintenance works at RM700,000 and the cost of air-conditioning maintenance at more than RM115,000.
"When we were in the opposition, we had raised them in the State Legislative Assembly Meeting and we want these issues to be investigated thoroughly to find who is responsible," he said. — Bernama