We stood shoulder to shoulder for good governance - Ambiga reminds 'friend' Khalid

Activist Ambiga Sreenevasan today reminded Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad how they had once fought alongside each other to push for change, adding that friends will hold each other to higher standards.

Ambiga, the former Bar Council president, said that, together with Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel, she will be meeting Khalid on Monday to discuss the Taman Rimba Kiara development project.

"I agree we are friends. We stood shoulder to shoulder on the platform of transparency, integrity and good governance.

"We fought together for that," she told a townhall meeting with some 500 Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents this morning.

"So yes we are friends. I am glad he has invited Cynthia and myself to meet, and we will go to see him.

"And I tell you, friends will probably be holding you to a higher standard than they would anyone else," said Ambiga.

She reminded Khalid that there was nothing personal in their criticisms of the project that involves the construction of luxury service apartments as well as an apartment block to accommodate longhouse residents displaced by the development.

Khalid had on Thursday said he was disappointed that his "friends" - in reference to Ambiga and Cynthia - did not try to meet him before publicly criticising the project.

On Wednesday, Ambiga, at a press conference with Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh - host of today's townhall meeting held at the TTDI Community Hall - took aim at Khalid whom she said must do a better job at distancing himself from the previous BN government.

Khalid, in his capacity as minister, is also the chairperson of Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), as was his predecessor Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

The Taman Rimba Kiara development is a joint venture between YWP and private developer Memang Perkasa Sdn Bhd.

Tengku Adnan is accused of having a conflict of interest in the project - approved in 2017 - due to his position as then YWP chairperson and because a business partner of the Putrajaya MP is a shareholder in companies that hold shares in Memang Perkasa.

Addressing the alleged conflict of interest, Yeoh previously questioned MACC's  alleged inaction over multiple reports, while Ambiga said the welfare arm of the ministry should not be abused for personal gains.

Commenting further, Ambiga today urged for a moratorium to be imposed pending the outcome of the probes.

"My view is, there should be a moratorium on this project, at least until the MACC complete its investigations.

"I hope the cabinet will make that decision," she said, adding there was no reason for the project to be rushed.

Friends can also disagree

Meanwhile, Yeoh today also described Khalid as a "friend" who had at one time stood by her side to protest against a private development project in Selangor, during her two terms as Subang Jaya assemblyperson.

"Yes, Khalid is my friend.

"But friends can also disagree and friends must disagree if what we're fighting for is not for the people," she stressed.

Khalid had dismissed claims over the alleged conflict of interest and insisted that a "win-win solution" had been reached for all residents by reducing the scale of development.

Taman Tun Dr Ismail residents had objected to the project as it encroached on the Taman Rimba Kiara park, a major green lung in the Klang Valley.

Also present during the two-hour townhall meeting were various FT MPs including Fahmi Fadzil, Lim Lip Eng, Fong Kui Lun and P Prabakaran. - Mkini

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