IPOH: Keranji assemblyman Chong Zhemin has been criticised for bombarding former menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir with questions regarding the management of Movie Animation Park Studios (Maps).
Datuk Saarani Mohamad said Chong, who is Perak Corporation Bhd (PCB) audit committee chairman, should have known better than to raise financial issues surrounding Maps at the state legislative assembly.
“Whatever he (Chong) is saying (against Zambry) is not true. Maps was built by Animation Theme Park Sdn Bhd (ATP) and also shared with two other entities — Perak Corporation Bhd Development (PCBD) and Sanderson Design Group (M) Sdn Bhd (SDGM).
“PCBD represents PCB, which is a listed company. It is true that PKNP (Perak State Development Corporation) holds 53 per cent shares and PCB is only a shareholder. No business decision can be made since PCB is the listed company which also has its own chairman, the board of directors and is bound by the rules set by the Securities Commission Malaysia.
“So, whatever decision made by PCB, either to sell shares, to add shares, to open a company… all business decisions can only be made by the board of directors,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the state legislative assembly in Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan.
Saarani said based on the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2017, shareholders could only exercise power to make informed decisions by way of a vote in the annual general meeting (AGM).
“This means that PKNP has no say in making business-related decisions. Zambry has been bombarded with so many questions and even letters from Keranji (Chong). It is unfair and he (Zambry) doesn’t have any say at all.”
Saarani also reminded Chong not to get his roles as an assemblyman as well as one of the members of the board of directors of PCB mixed up.
“He should know his boundaries. He can’t raise the matter outside the board of directors. It can be discussed in the meeting (of the board) only, not here.
“You can’t go overboard. If you still act like this, it could jeopardise PCB shares and of course, shareholders, including PKNP will suffer.
“Zambry was never involved in the board of PCB, only PKNP. As the then menteri besar, Zambry was automatically appointed PKNP chairman.
“They were being very personal (in attacking) Zambry... he is no longer menteri besar. They should fix the mistake, should there be any, and not try to ‘blackmail’ or embarrass him.”
It was reported earlier that Chong had urged Zambry to explain and take responsibly for the ballooning of development and construction costs for Maps from RM390 million to RM607 million.
He had said even though a recent special internal audit of the project did not find any conclusive evidence of misconduct or fraud, there were several questionable decisions and lopsided agreements.
Chong had said as the then PKNP chairman, Zambry had direct control over PCB, PCBD and ATP.
