Staff of govt body transferred after event launched by PN rep

Three officers of a government-linked organisation have been given immediate transfer notices following their involvement in an official programme officiated by a Perikatan Nasional (PN) assemblyman.

MalaysiaNow understands that the directive was issued by the management of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), a trust linked to the federal and Selangor governments, to three senior officers including a regional manager.

They are AIM Selangor and Kuala Lumpur manager Saiful Nizam Mat, AIM Gombak branch manager Sri Rahayu and her assistant Nor Zuraini Mustafa.

The three were said to be involved in an AIM event called "Let's Mega Zumba" on Nov 2, which Gombak Setia assemblyman Muhammad Hilman Idham was invited to officiate.

MalaysiaNow has contacted AIM's human resources department for confirmation as well as the reason behind their transfer, which is understood to have allowed insufficient time for personal preparations.

A source told MalaysiaNow that the transfer order was issued by AIM's head office on the same day without any reason given.

"One of them was given an immediate transfer to Sarawak, while another was sent to Johor and told to report today," said the source.

An individual involved in organising the event said many AIM staff believed the move was related to photographs of the officers with Hilman, and that the top management was unhappy with the presence of the PN assemblyman.

"YB Hilman was invited in his capacity as the Gombak Setia representative, and there was no political speech delivered," the person said.

When contacted, Hilman expressed surprise that his presence could have resulted in "drastic action" against AIM staff.

"I urge the management of AIM to come forward and give an explanation, if it is true that their transfer order had anything to do with my presence.

"The decision is very worrying. After all, it was not the first time I had attended official functions in my capacity as the represetative for Gombak Setia," he added.