Abdul Latif dropped from Johor exco

> Minor reshuffle follows his taking leave pending MACC probe on son

JOHOR BARU: Datuk Abdul Latif Bandi (pix) has been dropped as the state Housing and Local Government executive committee chairman in a minor reshuffle of the state exco which will take effect on Sunday.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a statement yesterday that Education, Information, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative committee chairman Datuk Md Jais Sarday will be the acting exco of state Housing and Local Government.

He said the minor reshuffle was needed as Abdul Latif had taken leave pending investigations involving his son, who is his special officer, following the latter’s arrest by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recently over alleged graft offences.

“The reshuffle will last until MACC completes its probe into the case,” Mohamed Khaled said.

He added that the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, had consented to the reshuffle.

Md Jais’s portfolios will be shared by two exco members.

Health and Environment committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat will oversee the Education and Information committee, while Agriculture and Agro- based industry exco Ismail Mohamed will oversee the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative portfolios.

On Feb 24, six men, including Abdul Latif’s son, were arrested by MACC for alleged involvement in corruption and a property scam in the state.

On Feb 28, a contractor was also arrested in connection with the cases.

Subsequently, Abdul Latif, who is Endau assemblyman, took leave beginning March 1.

Investigations by the anti-graft body revealed that the suspects were allegedly linked to civil servants from the Johor Land Office and other government departments in lowering the premium of land which had been approved for housing and industrial projects, as well as in converting the titles of various premises in the state.

This had resulted in the state government losing millions of ringgit.