Prime Minister and Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad must back his words with action by immediately starting an investigation into the logging scandal involving the party in Pahang, said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

The opposition leader said Mahathir should immediately suspend former Pahang menteri besar Khalil Yaacob as information minister and Umno secretary-general.

"He must then establish an independent public commission of inquiry with powers to investigate all logging scandals, whether involving Umno or PAS," said Lim in a statement,

The DAP leader was referring to Mahathir's willingness yesterday to investigate a multi-million ringgit logging scandal involving Umno Pahang, which was given a vast plot of land, approximately 40sq km in size, near Pekan five years ago.

The controversial transaction took place during Khalil Yaacob's (left) tenure as mentri besar, who is now party secretary-general and as well as a cabinet member.

PAS under attack

At a press conference yesterday, Mahathir told reporters that Umno does not own any land in Pahang. He added that state land could only be alienated to a private company, and not a political party.

The party president also took a swipe at PAS for its own logging practices in Kelantan and Terengganu - the two states controlled by the rival Muslim-based party.

Lim said Mahathir must ensure that his preparedness to investigate the matter be backed with full commitment by both the ruling party and the government.

He lamented that Mahathir appeared to be making an implicit threat by referring to the logging concessions granted by PAS.

"If he has proof of any multi-million ringgit logging scandal involving PAS in Kelantan and Terengganu, it is his duty to expose them and not to use it as a quid pro quo for silence about logging scandals involving Umno."

Weak defence

Lim said Mahathir's comments that political parties cannot be granted state land gave the impression that the Umno leader was providing a defence for Umno Pahang.

Lim added that this was a weak defence as Umno Pahang had admitted in a court document arising form a legal suit related to the logging scandal that it was granted the land by the state in March 1998, a period when Khalil was still Pahang menteri besar.

Umno Pahang is now embroiled in a legal tussle with logging company Seruan Gemilang Makmur, which claims that the ruling party had failed to assist it in applying for logging licences to log the remaining 3,000 acres of the total 10,000 acres it agreed in 2000.

Umno Pahang and SGM entered into a logging deal three years ago for the logging company to clear the plot of land ostensibly for oil palm plantation.

Meanwhile, current Pahang Menteri Besar and state Umno chief Adnan Yaakob (left) has denied his party's involvement in the botch deal with SGM. He said he was unaware of the deal since the land was approved by his predecessor in 1998.

However, Adnan claimed that SGM had dealt with "one or two individuals" who had cheated the company through misrepresentation and forgery.

He stressed that the issuance of logging licences to SGM falls under the purview of the state forestry department, not the state government.

The MB also told reporters that the state government and Pahang Umno were ready to be investigated on the matter.