Khir: RM24m? It’s absurd

(NST) SHAH ALAM: A DAP state assemblyman yesterday alleged that Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had bought a RM24 million bungalow here, a charge which the former Selangor menteri besar vehemently denied.

Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim asked how the opposition leader in the state assembly could afford such a mansion after being menteri besar for only five years.

He showed reporters a land- search document which indicated that Dr Khir was the owner of the land measuring 0.5ha in Jalan Suasa 7/1L here on which the house had been built.

He said those who had been inside had described it as palatial with granite tiles, huge chandeliers, fine wood carving and furniture and ornate wooden doors.

The house, with furnishings from Bali, also has a huge swimming pool and a children's playhouse.

He estimated that the playhouse cost RM280,000 while the arch at the entrance to the mansion cost RM290,000.

Pictures of the mansion, with aerial shots, have appeared in a blog critical of Dr Khir.

"His income as menteri besar (between August 2000 and March last year) was RM4.6 million. This is not even close to the price of the house. How did he manage to accumulate so much wealth?"

Ng said documents from the land office showed that the plots were transferred to Dr Khir and his wife, Datin Seri Zahrah Kechik, in July and September 2007 respectively from Ditamas.

The first plot measuring about 0.3ha was sold to Dr Khir for RM2.9 million while the 0.2ha plot was sold for RM900,000.

Ng said that while he knew of the existence of the house some time ago, he only managed to get documents recently to prove the plots belonged to Dr Khir.

Dr Khir said he had taken a loan from HSBC to buy the house for RM3.5 million in 2007 and that it did not cost RM20 million.

'I took a bank loan to buy it. (The) RM24 million (quoted by Ng) is ridiculous."

He said he was paying RM15,000 monthly to settle the loan.

"The house was there when I bought it. The RM3.5 million is for the house and land. I only did renovation for about RM500,000 to replace the roof."

He said he had also built a surau in the compound, replaced the front gate and renovated the kitchen.

"There is no children's playhouse or an arch that cost RM290,000. It must be a joke (to suggest) that I would spend such an amount on such things," he said at his office in Glenmarie here.

He said he would give Ng RM12 million if he could sell the house for RM24 million.

"I will choose him as my real estate agent and he can sell the house for me."

He said Ng had a personal agenda as he was angry that he (Dr Khir) was making inroads into the Sekinchan constituency, which lies in the same parliamentary constituency as Sungai Panjang.

"I don't see any problem with having this house. I bought the house after five years of being menteri besar."

He said the contractor doing the renovation had run away and that he was looking for a new one to finish the job.

He added that it had been three years since he bought the house but that he was still unable to move in as he had to save money for the renovation.

"The kitchen is not completed.

"I think I can only shift in after about three months."

Dr Khir said he would sue Ng over the allegations.