KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 ― Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has challenged Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and deputy Liew Chin Tong to prove he benefited from land swap deals stuck under his tenure.
The former defence minister reportedly said the controversial deals had started even from 1997 when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was last prime minister.
“I challenge Mohamad and Liew to prove that I have personally benefited financially and politically. My advice to them both, if they live in glass houses, don't throw stones.” he said in a statement that was reported by several media outlets.
His remark was in response to claims that the government lost more than RM500 million in the land swaps.
When tabling the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee report in the Dewan Negara on Thursday, Mohamad claimed that 13 of the 16 land swaps carried out during Barisan Nasional’s administration involved Hishammuddin as well as former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Mohamad, also known as Mat Sabu, claimed there were many discrepancies, including the sale of land below market value or granting of projects to unqualified developers.
The 16 land swaps took place at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, Tanah Batu Uban in Penang, Bukit Raja in Selangor, Pientong in Johor, Tanah Rata in Pahang, Bandar Kinrara in Selangor, and Stampin in Sarawak.
