PETALING JAYA: Yayasan Basmi Kemiskinan (Selangor Darul Ehsan) has been advised by its lawyers to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against the Selangor government's post-for-project decision.

Foundation chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Sakom (pic), who held a Press conference at YBK's office in Kelana Jaya this morning, told The Malay Mail that its lawyers have indicated that the foundation has a case to take the matter up with the MACC on grounds of "elements of abuse".

"However, the board of trustees have yet to decide if they will do so," Zainal said. He said the board will also discuss whether to take civil action against the Selangor government at another meeting.

The date for this discussion has yet to be decided.

Yesterday, The Paper That Cares had quoted Zainal saying that the State's directive to appoint Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Batu Tiga assemblyman Rodziah Ismail as chairman and trustee respectively along with two other State government representatives, was a clear indication it planned to take over the foundation.

Zainal had refuted Rodziah's statement that the State government just wanted to add and not replace the trustees by pointing out that the board cannot have more than six members. It now has five.

He had also refuted a claim by Rodziah that the land bank under the foundation belonged to the State government, compelling it to get involved to monitor its usage to prevent misappropriation.

Zainal had said the 1,642 acres of land in Serendah, awarded to it by the State, already had its premiums paid for and that the foundation owns the title.

On Tuesday, The Malay Mail had reported that YBK, and its subsidiary Permodalan YBK Sdn Bhd, could not proceed with the development of the UiTM campus in Serendah because it had refused to bow to pressure from the State government.

The State government, it was learnt, had used the inability of the foundation to settle quit rent arrears for 1,642 acres of its land as a "bargaining chip" to get Khalid and Rodziah appointed to YBK's board of trustees.

The foundation, which has had its numerous appeals to pay off the arrears by surrendering some of its land turned down, had wanted to settle the arrears with its earnings from the UiTM project — which is slated to accommodate 5,000 students.

The project was awarded a Letter of Intent by the Federal government's Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in 2008 and Permodalan YBK was subsequently issued a letter of approval by the Hulu Selangor District Council.

The council, however, had stated that the project could only go ahead if the foundation obtained the final approval of the State Planning Committee.