Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo is paying a RM15,000 instalment per month for his mansion in Section 7 here and he says he can afford it as he has gone into business.

“I don’t depend on my state assemblyman’s allowance to service my loan with HSBC as I have other sources of income,” he said.

He was responding to DAP Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim’s query on how Dr Mohd Khir could afford the monthly payments on the house with his assemblyman’s allowance of about RM8,000 a month.

Dr Mohd Khir said he had ventured into business after the general election last year.

“I couldn’t go into business when I was Mentri Besar because it was prohibited. Now that I am only an assemblyman, I am allowed to hold jobs and manage businesses,” he added.

Dr Mohd Khir said he owned a pharmacy as well as a dental clinic.

He said Ng should know better that assemblymen needed other sources of income since he (Ng) owned a couple of grocery shops.

He said he expected the topic of his house to be hotly debated at the state legislative assembly which begins meeting today.

Dr Mohd Khir also said that the Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives should concentrate on solving the problems faced by the people instead picking on non-issues.

“There are many issues they have failed to resolve, especially problems faced by the Indian community in the state. They should look into this first,” he said.

However, Ng told a press conference at the State Secretariat building here that he was prepared to face legal action from the former Mentri Besar. He said he had obtained the necessary information from several contractors who had worked on the mansion.

Ng also warned that more information regarding Dr Khir’s wealth would be revealed soon.