KUALA NERUS: Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said he had no power to award government land to anyone as there were procedures to be adhered to in the approval process.
He said this when asked by reporters on allegations that he had approved a piece of land in Tasik Kenyir to the Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik.
"However, anyone can apply for government land and need to go thorough specific procedures, including submission of proposal on the use of land. Any land bigger than 20 hectares must be approved by the Land and Mines Office, State Economic Planning Unit and the Exco," he said.
Razif said the procedures must be adhered to and approved at every stage of the application.
"My offer to Dr Zakir was merely a verbal offer. He needs to submit a proposal to develop the piece of land. If he agree to our procedures and is serious about developing the land for Islamic schools, we will look at the proposal first.
"I don't have the power to award anyone a piece of land as had been speculated in social and print media," he said after the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the Terengganu Halal Business Centre in Gong Badak today.
It was claimed that two weeks ago, Razif had announced that the state government would consider giving an island in Tasik Kenyir to Dr Zakir to set up an Islamic centre to help propagate Islamic knowledge.
Meanwhile, on the issue concerning his position as Menteri Besar, Ahmad Razif said he will continue with his duties as the administrative head of the government.
"I am still the menteri besar and will perform by duties as usual," he said briefly without taking any more questions about his position.
He also declined to comment on whether he had met the prime minister to discuss his position as the menteri besar.