Mara will handle money, not Pakatan governments - The Star

IPOH: The Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry has rerouted its funds meant for the five Pakatan Rakyat states, claiming that the move would prevent the rakyat from being “victimised”.

Its minister Datuk Noh Omar said the funds would be channelled through Mara in those states. He however did not explain what he meant by the word “victimised”.

“Previously, the funds were channelled through the respective State Economic Development Corporation,” he told reporters after opening the Perak Malay Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting here yesterday.

Noh also criticised the Selangor and Perak state governments for their decision to charge rental on the land occupied by the ministry’s training centres in the two states.

“The centres provide training for everybody regardless of their political beliefs.

“But the state governments are more interested in profit and failed to see the services provided by the ministry to the people,” he said.

[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/27/nation/21080789&sec=nation]