(July 2): Perak DAP has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate if there was any power abuse or corruption in the approval by the Road Transport Department (RTD) to Yayasan Patriot Negara (YPN) for exclusive rights to the sale of the "Patriot" vehicle registration numbers.

The state DAP economic bureau director Chong Zhemin, who lodged a report with the Perak MACC headquarters in Ipoh today, said the report was necessary since Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai failed to respond on the matter after Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming raised it.

"MACC should look into this as it is a matter of public interest that involves public money.

"Liow also should not remain silent. He should publicly declare the details of how and why YPN obtained exclusive rights to sell the vanity vehicle plate for millions of ringgit," he told reporters at the state MACC headquarters.

Chong added that Liow should also make known the identity of the official or officials responsible in giving the approval to YPN.

"If it was not himself as the Transport Minister, which officer in RTD was it?"

Chong said YPN chairman, Brigadier-General Datuk Husainay Hashim, two days ago denied using his political links with Umno as former party executive secretary to secure the lucrative deal to sell the vanity vehicle plates.

"He stated that he never met the prime minister or deputy prime minister to get the project, but then, did he meet the Transport Minister or RTD director?"

Chong said the Transport Ministry and RTD should let the public know the requirements and process for applying to sell the special vehicle plates if there were no elements of cronyism involved.

"DAP would like to know and apply for it as well. Would this be possible?"

He echoed Nga's remarks on the issue, saying it was ridiculous for RTD to lose the opportunity to gain millions in public funds for only RM1 million in return.

"This was revealed by YPN themselves in the media, that they paid RTD RM1 million and got permission to auction the plates 'Patriot 1 to Patriot 9999'.

"YPN stands to make between RM10 million and RM15 million in the sale of the vanity plates. This means, RTD is losing between RM9 and RM14 million in public funds that could have been put to better use for the people," he said.

Chong also reiterated Nga's demand for RTD to reveal the total number of special vehicle plates such as G1M, PUTRAJAYA and IM4U, released over the years.

"I believe many would like to know how much money was made from the sales and how the funds have been used," he said. – The Malaysian Insider