Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he exercised his ministerial powers to exempt Isa Samad from Korperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF)'s by-laws, that would otherwise disqualify him.
He said this when asked to comment on the Malaysia Cooperative Societies Commission’s (MCSC) ruling that Isa’s application to be a Felda member is invalid, but the commission says it is powerless to act on it because there is no provision to do so under KPF’s by-laws.
Ismail Sabri responded there are two conditions to meet to be a board member of Felda under the by-laws, but exemptions can be made under the Cooperatives Act.
“I have exempted Isa from obeying the by-laws, which means that he can be appointed as a board member.
“I do not have the power to appoint anyone to the chair of any cooperative, but I can exempt them from the requirements of by-laws,” he told reporters at a press conference today.
The by-laws, according to the minister, would otherwise require him to be a Felda settler or their family member, and have been the cooperative’s member for at least two years, before he is eligible to become a board member.
The issue of Isa’s KPF membership has been a battleground for cooperative members trying to derail the listing of Felda subsidiary Felda Global Venture Holdings (FGV), which they claim would result in the cooperative being sidelined.
On another issue, Ismail Sabri (centre in photo)
was also asked whether it is true that ministers are eligible for
special number plates for their official cars, to which he replied in
the negative. But when it was pointed out that Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai had said so, he said, “That I don’t know, because I don’t buy numbers.
“I understood it as a tender. That means there are no privileges. But I don’t know.”
Liow, who had bid RM24,200 for a WWW15 vehicle licence-plate, had repeatedly claimed that he is eligible for such plates as a minister, but was unsure where the funds are coming from.
Meanwhile, Chinese daily Sin Chew Daily had quoted an unnamed Finance Ministry official as saying that there is no allocation for ministers to submit bids for their official car’s number-plates.
Ismail Sabri’s press conference was held after a 4.30pm walkabout on Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, which is at the heart of the area dubbed Chinatown.
Minister tries his hand at selling longan
Accompanied by Kuala Lumpur Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Ang Say Tee, the minister spoke to the various traders in the area, bought packets of guava for his entourage, had a longan drink, and then tried his hand at selling it.
One trader even offered to give Ismail Sabri a metal sculpture of the Petronas Twin Towers, but the gift was turned down.A banner was hung under the street’s iconic gates, welcoming him as the Father of Hawkers (Bapa Penjaja), while a Companies Commission of Malaysia van at the venue helped traders apply or renew their licenses.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had announced a slew of goodies for petty traders on May 27, including a reduction in registration and renewal fees and fines, as well as placing their welfare under Ismail Sabri’s ministry.
No comments:
Post a Comment