KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has been called by the police to give a statement on his remarks about the misappropriation in the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).
The Selangor Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman received a notice on May 7 to do so at the Shah Alam district police headquarters tomorrow.
He described such action as an "intimidation" from the state government and urged the latter to adhere to the federal and state constitutions.
Azmin referenced Article 72 of the Federal Constitution, which protects assembly members from legal proceedings regarding anything said in the state assembly or its committees.
"I received a notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code from the police, summoning me to the Shah Alam district police headquarters tomorrow.
"This notice was in response to issues I raised in the state assembly while fulfilling my duties as a state assembly member and opposition leader.
"The issuance of this notice is a clear violation of the constitution and laws, as outlined in the Federal Constitution and the Selangor State Constitution of 1959," he said in a press conference at the PN office, Publika, here.
He also highlighted Section 2 of the Selangor State Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and debate within the assembly, safeguarding these rights from external legal challenges.
"In light of these provisions, I call on the Selangor state assembly speaker to take immediate steps to protect the assembly's proceedings and uphold the freedom of speech and debate guaranteed by both constitutions."
Azmin said he had instructed his legal team to file a judicial review against the police's decision to issue the notice.
This application was filed on Friday, May 17, at the Shah Alam High Court.
"Additionally, my lawyer has written to the police, requesting a suspension of the notice pending the judicial review process."
During the state assembly session last March, Azmin had asked the Selangor government to explain PKNS' sale of development rights to PJ Sentral, which was expected to yield returns of RM1.04 billion, to Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) for RM270 million.
Azmin had also cited a media report dated Feb 29, which stated that property developer Tropicana Corporation Bhd had acquired a leasehold land in Kota Damansara for RM224 million.
However, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had dismissed claims that PKNS' financial performance was in dire straits and burdened with debts amounting to RM5.7 billion.
