Khalid: I don't debate non-policy matters

The reason Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim sent a deputation to the Talam debt recovery debate with the MCA recently instead of going personally was because it was a state administrative exercise, not a policy matter.

"I can only talk on policy. If it was a policy issue, I would explain it (to the MCA).

"It (the Talam matter) was a debt recovery exercise that the state (administration) had to carry out," Khalid told reporters at the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam today.

He explained that he could not send any state executive councillor either as they were involved in the discussions and implementation of the Talam debt recovery scheme.

It would also not make sense to send state assemblypersons to the debate as they too had discussed and approved the measures in the state legislature.

"I formed the committee made up of the four representatives to explain the matter to everyone, not just to individuals."

Khalid said the committee, comprising MPs Tony Pua of Petaling Jaya Utara, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad of Kuala Selangor, William Leong of Selayang and his political secretary Faekah Hussin, was to have explained the matter to MCA's Labis MP Chua Tee Yong at a debate session last week.

However, Chua refused to entertain them.

Chua had cried wolf over what he claimed were questionable activities in the state's debt recovery operation against real estate developer Talam Group.

This was despite the state having appointed an independent audit firm, which subsequently cleared the Selangor government of any irregularities in its debt recovery exercise with the Talam Group.