Ada apa dengan Khir Toyo?

It looks like Khir Toyo's dream of becoming the next leader of UMNO Youth is getting bleaker by the day.

Revelations made by the new Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim at the State Legislative Assembly this week has tarnished his record beyond repair.

On Thursday, Khalid told the assembly that the previous government under the leadership of Khir Toyo has entered into 62 risky joint ventures worth RM36 billion with private companies involving 12,000 hectares of state land.

The next day, Khalid made another exposure involving the extreme spending made by members of the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MPs Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis).

A sum of RM158,000 was paid for the use of a sports facility while RM128,000 was spent on batik clothing for members of Balkis.

Khalid also said the organisation also spent RM49,000 for souvenir books, RM100,000 for its sports programme, RM200,000 for Deepavali and Hari Raya celebrations, RM100,000 for sports uniforms and RM30,000 for food during a sports event.

Khir Toyo is no stranger to controversy.

It was him who mooted the idea and handed over a broom to the head of a local council in public as a gesture to clean up the act of the local council he heads.

Unfortunately, this publicity stunt has not gone down to well with the public.

The act of humiliating a person in public goes against the culture of the Malays.

Early in his 8 year stint as Selangor's CEO, he was accused of acting improperly in approving the awards of state owned lands to a few companies belonging to some 20 year olds.

A report was later lodged with the ACA and similar to many other eports involving powerful personalities in the country no action was taken and it is perhaps gathering dusts in the ACA office in Putrajaya.

Khir Toyo was also alleged of awarding contracts improperly to his former landlord.

Again, no action was taken against him.

Many other scandals followed. Amongst others - the MPPJ billboard scandal, the failed UKRC land grab, the proclamation of Selangor as a developed state and the destruction of the natural forest in Bukit Cherakah.

When Khir Toyo was plucked from obsecurity and appointed as the new Menteri Besar of Selangor in August 2000, the Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, told the press that one of the factors leading to Dr Mohamad Khir's appointment, was to his knowledge, there was nothing that could raise suspicion about the new MB.

During their first official meeting - which was held at the KLIA, prior to the Prime Minister’s departure to Mozambique, Dr Mahathir told the newly appointed Menteri Besar that, "The party wants you to work hard, to be sincere in the interest of the religion, race and nation, and you should distance yourself from inappropriate situations."

The advice was apt - considering the fact that almost all of the previous occupants of the MB office left under the shadow of controversies.

However, it was unfortunate that the hopes of the Prime Minister, as well as the rakyat, were not fulfilled.

Perhaps this was the reason why he was voted out of office in the March general elections.

Nevertheless, he achieved what many other UMNO leaders had failed to do. At 44 years old, he had the privilige of becoming the youngest state opposition leader in the history of the party.