by R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez
PETALING JAYA: While their husbands went on lawatan sambil belajar, the wives were not to be outdone. Shopping trips, overseas junkets and lavish functions have been the hallmark of activities of Balkis – Association of Wives of State Assemblymen and Members of Parliament in Selangor.
Nothing wrong with the junkets, except that their excesses were paid for by the state government and private donors, who contributed money in the belief that it was going to good causes.
Attempts to get an insight into its operations have come to naught – newly appointed state executive councillors Teresa Kok and Elizabeth Wong who had gone to the Balkis secretariat to seek information and collect files were refused entry. Staff had been “instructed” not to allow access to the office.
While Balkis has done its bit for the less fortunate – its most visible contribution being the setting up of Kompleks Wawasan Balkis (KWB) its RM5 million secretariat which doubles as a women’s shelter in Shah Alam – some of its programmes raise the question if Balkis’ philanthropy is a façade for a group of VIPs to enjoy themselves at the expense of generous donors who included state government subsidiaries.
In the eight years that Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has been mentri besar, his wife and Balkis president Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik (above) has led delegations to Europe, Hongkong and Australia.
According to sources in the state government, these trips were listed as among Balkis’ annual activities but had nothing to do with charity.
Balkis’ accounts have never been made public and no one is sure if they too had suffered the same fate as other documents – shredded and destroyed after Barisan Nasional (BN)’s rule in Selangor ended on March 8.
But the extravagance of Balkis has been laid bare by the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) which said that it gave RM218,719.60 for KWB’s opening ceremony. It also revealed that 43,560 sq ft of land for the construction of KWB was given to Balkis at an undervalued RM250,000 – a contra deal to offset a loan between PKNS and the state government.
Private donors included the Sunway Group and LBS Bina Sdn Bhd. Other state government subsidiaries which contributed to Balkis included Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad which gave RM268,862.
According to an official at one of the subsidiaries, there were regular requests from Balkis for financial contributions.
Balkis has been in the news since last Friday when theSun front-paged a report that its previous executive committee headed by Zaharah had transferred Balkis’ RM9.9 million to Bakti – the federal Organisation of Wives of Ministers – three days after Selangor fell to the Opposition in the general election. The previous executive committee also tried to dissolve the association and set up a new body – Balkis-BN.
The newly-elected Pakatan Rakyat state government is demanding the return
of the money, saying these actions were illegal. The Registrar of Societies has yet to approve Balkis’ dissolution and has asked for additional information from Zaharah’s administration.
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‘Balkis dissolved according to rules’
SHAH ALAM: The wife of former Selangor mentri besar, Datin Seri Zaharah Kechik, said yesterday that the dissolution of the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis) was according to its constitution.
The dissolution took place on March 11 before Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim was sworn in as mentri besar on March 13, she told a press conference.
“It means, I was the president at the time and had not relinquished the president’s post. Therefore, the question of me not having the power to chair the meeting called for the purpose of Balkis’ dissolution does not arise.”
According to Bernama, she said Balkis was dissolved with the consent of over two-thirds of its ordinary members during the extraordinary general meeting which was called by more than one-fifth of its ordinary members.
“The EGM and Balkis’ dissolution were in line with Article 15(1) and 12 of Balkis Constitution and minutes of the meeting can confirm that all legal provisions have been complied with.”
Following the dissolution, Balkis’ funds totalling RM9.9 million were transferred to the Wives of Ministers Welfare and Charity Organisation (Bakti) according to Article 15(2) of Balkis Constitution, Zaharah said.
She hoped that with the explanation, no one would make baseless accusations and slander. Legal action would be taken if they did, she said.
On Saturday, Khalid requested for Balkis’ dissolution to be withdrawn and the RM9.9 million transferred to Bakti to be returned.
Zaharah said that under Article 8 of Balkis constitution, the organisation could receive contributions from the government and government-linked companies.
“When Balkis received a contribution, it became Balkis’. Therefore, the question of the money being channelled out or returned to the government or any government-linked companies does not arise,” she said.
Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, who was present at the press conference, said the state government should talk to the legal firm appointed by Balkis, Sallehudin & Co, if it was not satisfied with the issue.
“They are trying to politicise the issue and do not read Balkis constitution correctly,” he said.
He said the RM9.9 million was donated specially for students adopted by Balkis and it was transferred straight to Bakti following Balkis’ dissolution and Bakti gave a written reply that it had received the money.
A newspaper report which said the money went to the account of a third party before it was transferred to Bakti was incorrect, he said.
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