TOTALLY INNOCENT OF CORRUPTION OR NOT, SCANDAL-TAINTED KEDAH MB SANUSI COME UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – BUT CAN A MANSION AS HUGE AS HIS BROTHER’S REALLY BE WORTH ONLY RM1 MIL?
Bungalow is only worth RM1mil, not RM7.8mil as claimed, says Kedah MB’s brother
PETALING JAYA: Shabudin Md Nor, the brother of Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has clarified that his bungalow is only worth RM1mil and not RM7.8mil as claimed by some parties.
Shabudin, 57, had moved from Sungai Petani, Kedah to an old house belonging to his wife’s family in Sik, after his father-in-law passed away a few years ago.
He said the family moved in to accompany his mother-in-law, who died recently.
“After the passing of my mother-in-law, my family continued to stay here because we enjoy living in the village, that’s why we built a house behind the dilapidated old house,” he told Sinar Harian when met on Friday.
He added that construction of the bungalow began in February 2022, built over an area of 371sqm with six rooms and special parking space.
The former member of the Royal Malaysian Navy, who is now an underwater diver, explained that the bungalow was built as a result of his hard work.
When asked to explain his salary as a diver, he refused to share more, however, explaining that he was often paid in US dollars.
“The news that it is worth RM7.8mil is incorrect, there is a website where I bought the house plan stating the estimated price at time was only about RM800,000.
“Muhammad Sanusi has nothing to do with the construction of this house but the Mentri Besar is my brother. For me, this house is not that big, there are bigger ones in Sik but because I am the mentri besar’s elder brother, it went viral,” he said.
He explained that the bungalow had just been completed and the family would move into the house by the end of July.
Shabudin also admitted that as the second child out of 13 children, he had helped his parents support his siblings’ schooling.
Asked about his reaction after the story of the bungalow’s construction went viral, he merely said that nothing is permanent in this world, everything one has is a temporary loan from the Almighty.
“I don’t care what people want to say, it’s just that my wife and children became uncomfortable… for me, this is all political (stories),” he said.
Previously, the Kedah Mentri Besar’s Office denied that Muhammad Sanusi had anything to do with the bungalow after photos of the bungalow went viral on social media this week.
The office clarified that the property belonged to Muhammad Sanusi’s brother, Budin, who had painstakingly built it through hard work and had nothing to do with him. ANN
Sanusi’s brother says sprawling bungalow only worth RM1m
The owner of the sprawling bungalow in Sik, Kedah, which was associated with Kedah caretaker Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, has downplayed the value of the property as claimed online.
According to Shabudin Md Nor, who is Sanusi’s older brother, the property is only worth about RM1 million and not RM7.8 million as claimed on social media.
Speaking to Berita Harian, Shabudin said the house was constructed in February last year at a cost of over RM800,000.
“I built this house with my own sweat working as a deep-sea diver for the last 27 years, after ending my services with the Royal Malaysian Navy.
“I’ve been a certified commercial deep-sea diver since 1996 and I mostly work abroad,” the 57-year-old told the Malay daily when met at his house today.
‘All politically motivated’
Shabudin, who does not have a social media account, was not aware that his property had become an issue until he was informed by his friends and children.
“To me, this house is not that big. There are other bungalows in Sik that are bigger than mine.
“Maybe just because I’m the brother of the (caretaker) menteri besar, they turned this into an issue. This is all politically motivated.”
When probed further, Shabudin also refused to share details about his salary but merely said that he gets paid in US dollars.
“I saved up bit by bit to build this house. Throughout my career, I also helped my younger siblings who were still in school.
“I don’t really bother about this issue being made viral on social media, it’s just that my family find it a bit disturbing. Nothing is permanent in this world, we all live temporarily in this world,” he said.
Previously, Sanusi shot down claims that he owned the bungalow and said that “slanderers” were working to defame him ahead of the state elections.
Lamenting the “victimisation” of his brother at his expense, Sanusi said the critics who spread the claims will answer for their sins in the afterlife. MKINI
ANN / MKINI
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