Wanita Umno leader Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdullah has effectively received RM13 million in "free money" through a now "null and void" contract to build the defence education centre (Puspahanas), including a land deal with the government.

PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli said today that the obligations of the contract given to her company, Awan Megah Sdn Bhd, to build Puspahanas have long lapsed, thus making the contract void.

He also said that the company has failed to provide a new land bond for the project, as required under the agreement.

"Essentially, she has obtained free money from the project while it is still going on, so there's money there too. And not to forget, she still holds 223 acres of land in Bukit Raja," he told a press conference at PKR headquarters.

Boustead Holdings had paid the RM13 million to Awan Megah to purchase the land from Raja Roopiah for the project.

"The land was not hers in the first place. So with Boustead buying the land, legally the money is now hers," Rafizi claimed.

A shareholder in Boustead, he said he has checked the agreement between the company and Awan Megah.

"The construction of Pusapahanas is being continued with a null and void contract because Awan Megah has not prepared a new land bond," he said.

"The land sale and purchase agreement between Boustead, Astacanggih, and Awan Megah has lapsed because the conditions were not fulfilled within three months.”

Audit proposed

Backing his claims, Rafizi referred to a written reply to him from Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in Parliament last October.

It confirmed that the obligations in the 2012 land sale and purchase agreement between Bakti Wira Snd Bhd (under Boustead), Astacanggih Sdn Bhd and Awan Megah had not been fulfilled. The deadline expired last March.

The conditions involved a new privatisation deal for Pusapahanas, an agreement by the Selangor government for the land transfer, and cancellation of Awan Megah's RM16 million joint-venture with GuppyUnip to use the land in Bukit Raja.

Hishammuddin (right) , in his reply, also said the process had stalled because the Selangor government had not approved the land transfer, but that Pusapahanas will be completed later this year.

Rafizi said he would write to the auditor-general to carry out an audit into the project, in order to get more comprehensive details.

PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said Raja Roopiah cannot hide behind the claim that the deal was done in her personal capacity and not political expediency.

"Would she have gotten the project if she was not a Wanita Umno member?" she asked.