The Star - News
Selangor Government to seek legal advice on Balkis affair
PETALING JAYA: The Selangor Government will seek legal advice on the controversy involving the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) and its funds.
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the political secretary to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, said the MB did not want to make any further statement on the matter as the state was currently consulting its lawyers.
“We are looking into the legal aspects of the application to dissolve Balkis and also the transfer of its funds before we decide on the next course of action,” he said, adding that the state would take legal action against the organisation’s office bearers if there was any wrongdoing.
In the meantime, the state government has asked the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to ignore the application to disband Balkis made by its previous president Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik, the wife of former Selangor MB Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.
The state government said in a statement on Thursday that Balkis made the application following a decision during an emergency meeting held on March 11.
It argued that Zahrah could not hold office after the March 8 general election as Dr Khir was no longer MB.
It said that the organisation’s constitution clearly stated that the president had to be the Selangor MB's wife and after the Barisan Nasional lost the state, Zahrah did not have the right to represent Balkis or make the application, and even her right to chair the emergency meeting was questionable.
The state government also felt that disbanding Balkis under such circumstances was against the spirit behind its formation in 1985 to help the needy, provide ideas to the government on welfare issues and help Malaysians of all races and religions.
The statement said a Balkis official had informed the state government that RM9.9mil was moved from the organisation to the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti).
It said the MB's office had also been informed that part of the funds under Balkis came from state-owned companies like Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd which contributed over RM268,000 last year and the Selangor State Development Corporation which contributed more than RM590,000 in 2006 and 2007.
“The state government, therefore, is asking the ROS not to approve the application (to disband Balkis) until the contributions from all the state-owned companies have been ascertained,” the statement continued.
The state government said that it and all its companies would soon request that all contributions made to Balkis be returned, as the organisation was only acting as a trustee for the funds that were to be used for welfare purposes.
Bar Council vice-chairman Ragunath Kesavan said the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) must investigate Balkis for removing almost RM9.9mil from its bank account.
“There is a potential criminal breach of trust (element) or corruption, therefore the ACA must act fast. The money belongs to the association members, not to the office bearers.
“There are rules and regulations to be followed under the Registrar of Societies,” he said.
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