Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob rejected allegations made by a Move Forward Party (MFP) MP against him including share concealment and making a false asset declaration.
He was speaking during the censure debate against the government on Wednesday. Pakornwut Udompipatsakul, an MFP MP, accused Mr Saksayam of concealing his assets in Burijarearn Construction Limited Partnership and using an employee as a nominee to hold shares on his behalf.
The MP said the company was established in 1996, with 80% of its shares held by the Chidchob family. Mr Saksayam quit being a shareholder when he entered politics in 1997. However he made a comeback as a major shareholder in 2015 when he increased the company's registered capital to 120 million baht.
The company was awarded construction projects worth 440 million baht between 2015 and 2017. Ahead of the 2019 election, Mr Saksayam transferred his shares worth 119.4 million baht to his nominee, Mr Pakornwut claimed.
In his declaration of assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) upon assuming the position of MP in 2019, he declared his assets worth 115.7 million baht without any debts, Mr Pakornwut said. However, there was no evidence of the payment for the share purchase, he said. "Where is the money [119.4 million]? Is this a case of share concealment?" Mr Pakornwut said.
He also said the company was awarded Transport Ministry construction contracts, some of which were tainted with irregularities. In some cases, the company won a bid with a price offered below the median price, he said.
Responding to the accusations, Mr Saksayam said it was a friend who bought the company's shares and there was proof of the money transfer totalling 119.5 million baht from Thanachart Bank. The Department of Business Development also issued a certificate for the transaction on March 28, 2018. The minister insisted he now has nothing to do with the company.
On the question why the money was not reported in the assets declaration to the NACC, he said he had not assumed political office yet, adding that he officially became an MP on May 5, 2019.
However, he later reported the money to the NACC, Mr Saksayam said, while denying allegations of collusion related to the ministry's contracts. He said he had in fact laid down a policy for officials to uphold the principle of good governance and comply with the law.
