Saifuddin clarifies he was on official business to Langkawi
ALOR SETAR - Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail explained that his visit to Langkawi last Friday was on official business to attend a briefing from the security agency.
He said that as a member of the government administration in charge of the security portfolio, he needs to be accompanied by a number of security officers who need to stay in the hotel with him.
Following that, he disputed how a booking form made by an agency under the Home Ministry at a hotel owned by the Kedah State Government could leak out and be obtained by the Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
"I am an administrative member who holds a security portfolio. If the hotel manages business and can easily leak out booking documentation, it would not augur well for the hotel's business.
"In the future, if there are people the Menteri Besar doesn't agree with or doesn't like, does the hotel management of the hotel where such a person is accommodating then continue to give away business documents just like that? This is a bad action that displays governance issue weaknesses that are not only at the Menteri Besar level but also happening at state government subsidiaries owning hotels such as those mentioned," he said.
He said this at a press conference at the Kedah PKR Office here yesterday.
Saifuddin said there was no issue with him misusing government agencies to campaign in the State election, as Sanusi claimed.
He added that he also regretted the act of uploading the reservation document made by the Home Ministry on Sanusi's social media site, which evoked various reactions.
"I came to Langkawi to be briefed by the Langkawi District Police Chief and the Immigration Department, another agency under my portfolio. You don't want to travel just to listen to the briefing; it would be more productive for our visit as a minister to also visit the agencies under my supervision," he said.
Yesterday, Sanusi revealed the booking document for 15 rooms at a trusted hotel in Kuah, with payment made by the Malaysian Immigration Department. - AWANI
