IPOH, June 26 ― Perak Opposition Leader Abdul Aziz Bari today denied Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s suggestion that Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders made a decision to privatise waste management last year when it was the state government.

Abdul Aziz said Ahmad Faizal led the state PH government then, but that the state executive council had not met specifically to discuss privatising waste management in Perak last year as claimed.

“No way we would have done that. It is against our policy and manifesto,” said the Tebing Tinggi assemblyman who had formerly chaired the state Education, Technology, Science and Environment Committee.

Mainiza Teknitek Recowaste Sdn Bhd (MTR) was appointed by the state without an open tender to handle the waste management.

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“The matter was not discussed with any of us, nor was brought up in any exco meetings,” Abdul Aziz told a press conference at Addon White Coffee restaurant here.

He added that he doesn’t recall any specific meeting to appoint any private company to take over waste management or even discuss the terms.

Amanah leader Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin who was also at the same press conference challenged Ahmad Faizal to disclose the exco meeting minutes to prove if the then state PH government approved the privatisation.

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“If it is true that the decision was made by all the PH exco members, then we urge Ahmad Faizal to expose the minutes of the exco meeting in which the matter was supposedly discussed.

“I'm sure it should have been recorded somewhere. I urge him to reveal it so that the public can know who is lying and who is telling the truth,” said Nizar, the former state Investment, Industry and Regional Development Committee chairman.

Yesterday, Ahmad Faizal said the current Perak government is merely continuing the previous administration’s decision to privatise the waste management and for it to be operated by MTR.

The MB said MTR has vast experience in the waste management field, adding that the state could also keep an eye on its dealing through its state government-owned company, Majuperak Holdings Bhd (MHB).

“We did not simply award this project to an outside company, but to a company that we have our own interest in and as well as we can control the business via MHB,” Ahmad Faizal said yesterday.