Saarani: Usas claims a big lie

Allegations by a state executive councillor on the mismanagement of land allocated to Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (Usas) are just a big lie, says Perak opposition leader Datuk Saarani Mohamad.

He said claims by Dr Abdul Aziz Bari on management issues of the university in Kuala Kangsar, under the purview of the state, were also baseless.

“Since the time they (Pakatan Harapan) were the opposition, various allegations have been made on Usas.

“The state Barisan Nasional then had repeatedly proved that the allegations were false and malicious,” he said in a statement.

On Friday, Abdul Aziz claimed that there was a possibility that over 2,000ha of land, allocated to Usas for logging, mining and agriculture, had been mismanaged and failed to yield any profits over the years.

He said the state government would carry out an investigation on the plots of land in various locations in Perak.

Saarani pointed out that the state government had been running Usas for a long time, and that Abdul Aziz failed to understand the struggles because he was not from Perak.

Saarani said Perak Umno was also shocked over Abdul Aziz’s statement that a new vicechancellor would be appointed.

“Is he challenging the powers of the Sultan of Perak, who is the chancellor of the university?” he said.