PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth on Jan 24 called for immediate action be taken by the relevant authorities, especially the police, the Customs Department and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the illegal sale of sand to a neighbouring country.

Its chief, Khairy Jamaludin, said based on media reports, the matter involved not only illegal sale, but also smuggling.

“All sale of sand to another country should be monitored because if there is an element of smuggling, it is a serious crime,” he added.

Speaking to reporters after attending an Umno Youth programme organised by the Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno Youth division here, Khairy said the movement was prepared to lodge a police report so that the matter could be investigated.

The issue surfaced after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, through his blog, claimed that 700 lorries of sand were sold to Singapore daily, but the figure was refuted by Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor, who said that only 500 lorries were involved in the activity.

Khairy said immediate investigations should be conducted to determine the real situation.

On another matter, Khairy said Umno Youth saw a drastic increase in membership after Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak took over as prime minister last year.

He said its membership now stood at 703,126 members, with 25,019 new members being registered from March till December last year.

He added that studies carried out by the movement found that Najib’s leadership ability was the main factor for the increase. — Bernama

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