KUALA LUMPUR – Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has sent a letter of demand to Bersatu’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard.
This is over allegations involving the river basin transformation (RTB) flood alleviation project.
In a statement today, Nik Nazmi said the letter was given through his lawyers yesterday, demanding that Chegubard retract his statements immediately and issue a public apology.
“The seriousness of these false accusations requires strong legal action to protect my reputation, the ministry and the government,” he stated.
Affirming his dedication to the truth and dispelling misconceptions, Nik Nazmi also conveyed his willingness to cooperate with any police investigation regarding Chegubard’s claims.
“As legal proceedings progress, we reiterate our dedication to transparency and adherence to the legal process,” he added.
Last week, Nik Nazmi was reported to have denied Chegubard’s allegations that flood mitigation plans under his ministry contained elements of corruption, saying that the statements were unfounded and malicious.
He also said he would be pursuing civil action against Chegubard in the near future, following his claims.
Chegubard had also lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters claiming that there was bribery involving Nik Nazmi, a cosmetic company and staff at a local government to obtain a flood mitigation project.
He claimed that the government had cancelled an RTB project worth RM7 billion that was awarded via direct negotiations by the previous administration for re-evaluation.
The RTB project, he claimed, is part of the RM15-billion budget to tackle floods.
Despite the re-evaluation of the project to reduce the cost, Chegubard claimed the allocation for the said RTB project had increased to RM16 billion due to the bribery involved. – December 28, 2023