KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — The Youth and Sports Ministry must state its dealings with the firm of a sports official who was among those arrested in a drug party involving the minister’s aide, activist Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi demanded today.
The activist lawyer noted that the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation official has also been identified as the owner of the condominium unit where the party attended by Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman’s aide was held.
This morning, a news portal alleged that the organiser of the party had plied attendees with women and drugs in hopes of securing federal contacts.
Asheeq pointed out that the now-suspended MGF official was linked to a sports equipment firm that has had multiple contracts with Syed Saddiq’s ministry.
“The ministry must inform the people about its latest dealing with the [firm owned by the MGF official.]
“The presence of Syed Saddiq’s special officer at the party organised by a businessman who has supplied the Education Ministry as well as the Youth and Sports Ministry since 2002 raised serious suspicions that must be explained,” he said in a statement.
Among others, he said Syed Saddiq’s ministry must disclose if the company has been awarded recent contracts in a transparent manner and if it is in the midst of pursuing new jobs with the ministry.
He went on to urge the ministry to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to trigger an investigation into possible corruption involving the firm.
This morning, Syed Saddiq announced in his capacity as Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Youth chief that the wing was suspending two leaders who were among those arrested in the drug party last week, pending police investigations.
They are Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi and Adhif Syan Abdullah.
The two were among 17 people arrested at a house party on Sunday. Police later alleged that 16 of them tested positive for illicit drugs.
Since becoming minister, Syed Saddiq has had to fend off repeated allegations of bias and favouritism in his ministry.
