KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — Government-owned real estate firm JKP Sdn Bhd said today it has initiated an investigation into alleged conflict of interest involving its chief executive officer (CEO) Samrulzaman K. Mohideen.
In a statement, JKP said there is no official complaint yet against Samrulzaman, but the board of directors has asked the latter to go on leave pending the probe.
“JKP through its October 30, 2017 board of directors meeting has decided to form an internal investigation committee made of three directors, to probe the complaint of misconduct against the CEO as made viral on social media.
“The board also decided that the CEO was asked to take leave while internal investigation is done,” said its chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman, who is also Penang Umno chief.
Zainal said the decision was made following a complaint on social media by one Sanjay Subramaniam last month, which he said was a PKR member.
JKP said Samrulzaman has also lodged a defamation suit against Sanjay.
It said the internal probe will take two to three weeks, and the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has yet to call any of the firm’s staff or officers for their investigation.
Yesterday, Penang chief minister’s strategic adviser Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismal revealed allegations of “conflict of interest” in government-owned JKP Sdn Bhd due to the posts held by Samrulzaman in an engineering consultant company.
He demanded that JKP’s chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman explain Samrulzaman’s links to SSJ Consulting Engineers that had allegedly received projects worth over RM3 million from JKP between December 12, 2006 and July 21, 2017.
“Saifuddin needs not be worried about case such as this. MACC will investigate and if there is any offence it will be brought to the court,” Zainal said.
