‘Committee to study new business plan for foundation’

PUTRAJAYA: A committee will be set up to study a new business plan for Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), the welfare arm of the Federal Territories Ministry, as the previous approach is not sustainable, said Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad.

He said potential ventures included solid waste management.

“The committee will try to look for business ventures using YWP as a vehicle for generating funds,” he said at the preview of Royal Floria Putrajaya 2018 here yesterday.

Kepong member of parliament Lim Lip Eng was reported to have claimed that at least 12 plots of land around the city had been transferred to YWP without an open tender.

Besides planning to report the transfers to the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission, Lim also wanted Khalid to freeze all transactions involving thos e land, pending an investigation.

However, Khalid said he had no plan to freeze any transaction as the transfers had been made since 2009.

“To develop a piece of land, YWP made an application and the land was given based on the application. YWP then entered into joint ventures with developers to develop the land. Nobody gets land and sells it straight away.”

Khalid said YWP would not be considered a welfare organisation and its activities would be overseen by the ministry.

He said previously, YWP programmes were implemented through Umno to the point that it seemed like an arm of Umno.

“If the ministry gives YWP certain consideration or projects, the returns must be given back to society through programmes which are not political,” he said.