PETALING JAYA: A former Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman has questioned the apparent inaction against the federal agency’s current chairman, Shaik Hussein Mydin, nearly two weeks after the latter was charged with corruption.
Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the government, which has repeatedly pledged to fight corruption, should at least place Shaik Hussein on leave while his case is being heard.
“There has not been a single statement from the government or Perda saying whether any action has been taken to suspend or remove him as chairman,” he said in an interview.
Haniff, who chaired Perda from January 2019 to February 2020, said it had been 11 days since Shaik Hussein was charged.
Haniff urged deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, whose ministry oversees the agency, to recommend “at the very least” that Shaik Hussein be placed on leave.
He also said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should intervene if Zahid failed to act, rather than leave the matter entirely to his deputy.
Haniff said that while Shaik Hussein is innocent until proven guilty, allowing a chairman facing corruption charges to continue heading the agency could affect public confidence and staff morale.
“The Perda chairman’s office has been tarnished,” he said, adding that the agency’s deputy chairman could take over temporarily while the case is being heard.
On Oct 15, Shaik Hussein, a 53-year-old Umno supreme council member, pleaded not guilty at the George Town sessions court to 15 charges of accepting bribes totalling RM847,107.61.
The charges concern payments he allegedly received in return for appointing a company as a subcontractor for a RM23.27 million project to complete a hostel and other facilities at Perda-Tech in Seberang Perai Selatan.
Haniff also called for clear rules requiring the government to consider placing agency heads and other political appointees on leave when they face serious criminal charges.
FMT has reached out to Shaik Hussein and his lawyer for comment.