ACA to probe minister's link to NGO's RM1.4m bill

(NST) PUTRAJAYA: The Anti-Corruption Agency will look into a minister's links with a non-governmental organisation that purportedly spent RM1.4 million of public funds on entertainment claims.
The minister is the chairperson of the NGO, which receives grants from the government.
An ACA source said the NGO's annual reports would be scrutinised, although this did not mean the agency was opening investigation papers."The ministry gives the NGO grants and it is its prerogative to spend the money."However, we will do a thorough check and look at their annual reports," the source said.
More information had to be gathered before deciding whether investigation papers would be opened, the officer added.ACA deputy director-general Datuk Abu Kassim said he would comment on the case after receiving more information from his officers.The NGO's spending was highlighted in an English-language newspaper yesterday, which said it had obtained a copy of the annual report. Also listed in the expenditure was RM1.18 million on grants, RM2.1 million on meals and accommodation, RM932,000 on media and advertising, RM710,000 on production, RM710,000 on printing and stationery, RM865,400 on equipment rental, RM242,000 for volunteers' allowances, RM117,700 on wages, and RM858,000 for travelling and transportation.In an immediate response, the Women's Sports and Fitness Foundation Malaysia (WSFFM) emailed to newspapers its explanation on its spending.WSFFM said it organised the National Women Games last year, with the participation of 3,400 athletes and 600 officials.It also hosted an international conference, attended by 289 participants, and various courses for 780 officials.For the games, it provided free internal transport between the games village and competition venues, as well as meals for athletes and officials. It also gave gifts of pillows, pillowcases, bedsheets and blankets to the athletes and officials. Each set was priced at RM44.WSFFM explained that these were given as it would have cost the organisers RM60 per person per day to rent them at the games village.T-shirts were also given to athletes, officials, volunteers, technical officers and others for easy identification.On grants, it said RM30,000 was given to each of the 15 state sports council and to the national sports associations for organising the competitions.The email also listed wages and allowances but no amount was given.On the RM1.4 million entertainment bill, WSFFM said: "The precise definition of the term entertainment used in the accounts encompasses a broad range of expenses related to sports events, athletes and team management participating in the National Women Games 2007."This included ceremonial events, opening and closing ceremonies, and prize-giving ceremonies."The WSFFM is able to justify every single expense and investment the government, Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council provide to women and sports through us."There is no manipulation in our expenditure, no one has taken a single sen for personal gain and we have been very transparent to publish this for public consumption."