Khir Toyo in hot soup over RM24mil mansion in Shah Alam

Former Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo has threatened to sue DAP assemblyman for Sekinchan Ng Suee Lim for slander after the latter accused him of having spent RM24 million on building a palatial home in Shah Alam.

“I cannot tolerate this anymore. I will sue him for his attempts to tarnish my reputation. I bought the house for RM3.5mil with a loan I obtained from HSBC. I did not buy the land and build the house on it,” Khir told reporters.

The DAP assemblyman had taken reporters and photographers to see Khir’s mansion at Jalan Suasa, Sect 7, Shah Alam, Selangor earlier in the day.

According to Ng, the bungalow was built on roughly 50,000 square feet of land at an estimated cost of RM20 million, while the land alone cost RM3.8 million.

Ng also brought with him documents from the Selangor Land and Mineral Office, showing that Khir and his wife Zahrah Kechik jointly bought the land from Ditamas Sdn Bhd in 2007. Two bungalow plots were bought for RM2.9 mil and RM900,000 respectively.

The former MB also imported exclusive top-of-the-range fixtures and furniture from Bali, he said.

“He has a right to build a house of whatever size he wants. But as a former menteri besar, he has to explain how he funded the house. The frontage alone costs approximately RM290,000. The tiles you see are imported,” said Ng.

Ng also urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate Khir. He also threw in a quick math lesson for the reporters present.

Taking the RM48,000 monthly salary earned by current Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim as a guide, Ng reckons Khir’s income over the eight years he was in office would total to some RM4.6 million.

The Sekinchan assemblyman also said Khir was a dentist before he became Menteri Besar and used to live in a rented house in Sekinchan itself.

“How could he afford to have spent about RM24 million on his house?,” asked Ng.

I haven’t moved in yet

Meanwhile, Khir said he only replaced the roof and did some minor renovations but had not moved in yet.

“My contractor has absconded and the work has yet to be completed and that’s why I haven’t moved into the house yet,” said the former MB, challenging Ng to try and sell the house for RM24 million.

“If he can do this, I will give him 50 percent as commission and use the remaining RM12 mil to pay off HSBC and buy a good house in Damansara.”

Judging from the quality of the house , the sheer physical size and current market value, it is unlikely Khir’s mansion cost only RM3.5 million.

It is likely to cost much more although whether it is really RM24 million would be hard to ascertain without inspecting the interior and putting a value on the fittings and fixtures, which can easily cost many times more than the land and building itself. (SK)