THERE is no basis to a think-tank’s claims that that Bersatu politicians have benefited from the government restructuring of government-linked companies (GLCs), said Mohd Redzuan Yusof.

“I think it’s baseless for Ideas to say a lot of the restructuring has benefited Bersatu or other (Pakatan Harapan) component parties,” the entrepreneur development minister told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

“In my ministry, there aren’t any division chiefs who were appointed,” Redzuan said.

“Have you looked at the Bersatu hierarchy? Who are those people appointed to key positions in government-linked companies (GLCs)? I don’t see any.”

Redzuan was responding to a study by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) that Bersatu leaders are benefiting from government restructuring.

The report highlighted eight Bersatu candidates who had lost in the 14th general election, and their appointments to the boards of government agencies such as Ketengah, Kesedar, Kejora and Keda.

All the four agencies are economic development agencies under the Rural and Regional Ministry, which is led by Bersatu’s Rina Harun, the party’s women’s wing chief. She has yet to respond to the study.

Ketengah is aimed at developing socio-economic activities in Terengganu, while Kesedar is focused on southern Kelantan. Keda’s primary focus is on improving the rural community in Kedah while Kejora does the same for Johor.

Ideas’ report said the reconfiguration of GLCs and statutory bodies had allowed PH to use GLCs to serve its political interests by channeling government contracts to key constituencies for electoral support.

This would also allow the government to channel government assets to well-connected private entities and allow the appointment of politicians to the boards of GLCs to sustain the support of party members.

But Redzuan disputed the report by saying such appointments are not widespread.

“I don’t think so because I don’t see those as the real numbers. You have to see the entire spreadsheet of appointments. 

“I suggest a relook on all the appointments in GLCs. I don’t think they are political but I think they are apolitical and based on merits rather than based political alignment,” said the minister.

On his ministry, Redzuan said the SME Bank appointments were made based on professional considerations. 

“There are key agencies that are being helmed by people having very good professional qualifications. If they have political alignments, perhaps it’s coincidental and that’s not my choice

“I mean look at the cases of my other agencies, the chairman is not from my party, he is a member from another party.

“Anyone can be aligned to any party but the bottomline is all appointments to GLCs are based on specific merits.”

Ideas’ report noted the political appointments of Bersatu’s GE14 candidate for the Ladang state seat in Terengganu, Zulkifli Mohamad, to Ketengah. Zulkifli had lost to a PAS candidate.

Also appointed to Ketengah is Bersatu’s Marzuki Wan Sembok, who ran in the Kijal state seat and lost to an Umno candidate, as well as Amanah’s Zulkifli Ali, who lost to a PAS candidate in the Sura state seat.

In Kesedar, Bersatu’s Sazmi Miah and Aminuddin Yaacob were candidates for the Machang parliamentary seat and the Air Lanas state seat, respectively. Both lost to Umno candidates.

PKR’s Mohd Roslan Puteh was also appointed to Kesedar. He was defeated by a PAS candidate in the Guchil state seat. 

Elected assemblyman Zakaria Mohd Salleh from Bersatu, who won the Permas seat, is a Kejora board member, while Pengkalan Kundor assemblyman Ismail Salleh from Amanah sits on the Keda board. – October 31, 2019.