Category: Corruption

Malaysiakini | Jun 21, 11

More Europe-based NGOs are plying pressure on the authorities there to freeze the assets of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

In a press statement today, Swiss NGO Bruno Manser Fund said that it had written to German chancellor Angela Merkel on the matter, together with two German NGOs – the Society for Threatened Peoples and Rettet den Regenwald.

They asked “the German government to clarify Deutsche Bank’s business ties with Taib and to freeze all Taib (right) assets in Germany.

“We are seriously concerned that, as a leading German financial institute, Deutsche Bank is closely cooperating with the highly corrupt and internationally discredited Taib regime.
Continue reading “European NGOs want Taib’s assets in Germany frozen”

By Joseph Tawie
June 17, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: The Sarawak legislative assembly Speaker has rejected a request by a newly elected representative for details of a proposed development by Monarda Sdn Bhd, in the BDC Kuching district area.

Monarda is owned by Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s son and daughters.

Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei said he received a letter from the Speaker’s office informing him that his written question on the matter, which was submitted for the next week assembly’s sitting, has been rejected. The assembly sits from June 20-23. Continue reading “Speaker bars ‘question’ on Taib-linked property”

By Jahabar Sadiq
Editor
June 17, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — A Finance Ministry committee has ignored the city’s light rail transit (LRT) operator’s recommendation for the Kelana Jaya line extension project by awarding it to a company whose project price of RM890 million is almost 50 per cent higher than that of the lowest bid.

The Malaysian Insider understands the committee decision was made on Wednesday to hand the electro-mechanical system project to the Hartasuma Sdn Bhd-Bombardier joint-venture, which is already facing a heavy penalty for late delivery of the RM1.2 billion 35 four-car sets to Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. Continue reading “Putrajaya overrules Prasarana, takes pricier LRT extension deal”

Tarani Palani | June 16, 2011
Free Malaysia Today

The government maintains its stand that by law, an inquest needs to be established before a RCI. But Lim Kit Siang says the argument is flawed.

KUALA LUMPUR: The death of Selangor Customs Department assistant director Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed continues to haunt Parliament despite a motion to disclose the deceased’s assets being rejected earlier this week.

The government has insisted that a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) cannot be established to investigate the death because an inquest must be carried out first, according to the law.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong reiterated the government’s stand on this issue in Parliament today. Continue reading “Sarbaini continues to haunt Parliament”

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Lim Kit Siang wants the government to override the decision by the police and Attorney-General to hold an inquest for the late Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, and instead convene a royal commission to investigate the death.

Lim said that the Cabinet should heed the call made by the late Custom officer’s son, Shahril Ahmad, that the family preferred a royal commission of inquiry (RCI).

Shahril earlier said it would be harder to determine the cause of Sarbaini’s death through an inquest and that this would delay the pursuance of justice.

“Sarbaini’s son has called for an RCI, which is what we (DAP) have been advocating from the very beginning. Continue reading “Kit Siang adds voice to Sarbaini RCI call”

By Art Harun
June 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

JUNE 15 — When Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) opened a Twitter account some months ago, I was actually pleasantly surprised that it chose to follow my Twitter account. I promptly decided to return the compliment by following MACC on Twitter.

From then on, I could read MACC’s instant reports of the Teoh Beng Hock royal commission of inquiry (RCI) proceedings on Twitter. I must say it was a good initiative by MACC. Kudos to whoever that was in MACC who decided to utilise the social-networking facility by engaging the cyber-society through Twitter.

During the height of the Sarawak election campaign, I decided that it was about time that I had a two-way communication with MACC over Twitter. Conscious of the fact that the biggest election issue for that election was the alleged wealth — which were not rebutted and categorically denied — of Taib Mahmud and his family members, I decided to tickle MACC’s feet with a question.
Continue reading “The failure of our institutions”

By Syed Mu’az Syed Putra
June 15, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — The family of Selangor Customs assistant director Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed has rejected Putrajaya’s decision to hold an inquest into his death and are insisting instead on a royal commission of inquiry (RCI).

The inquest, to be presided over by Coroner Aizatul Akmal Maharani, was set for July 4 to 15 at the magistrate’s court here.

Sarbaini’s son, Shahril Ahmad, told The Malaysian Insider that his family preferred the RCI as it would be harder to determine the cause of his father’s death through an inquest and that this would delay the pursuance of justice.

“That is really the purpose of holding the inquest… we want an answer on the incident and we feel an RCI would be more accurate. Continue reading “Sarbaini kin reject inquest, demand RCI”

By R. Nadeswaran
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 | Sun2Surf

EVERY right-thinking Malaysian will certainly have to agree with the prime minister’s remarks made last week at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kazakhstan that characteristics like openness, honesty and transparency are vital if the people are to have faith that their government is working for them and not for itself.

Saying that these guiding principles would also show that leaders and politicians were striving to lift the whole economy and not to “line their own pockets”, he sent this powerful message: “As political leaders and statesmen, it is up to us to show the resolve, dedication, commitment and political will required to do what is right, to right what is wrong and to prevent corruption from becoming a norm in our societies.”

This is not the first time that he has spoken out against the ills that afflict our society. Continue reading “Words into practice”

In Sibu yesterday, I had suggested that Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should go on a leave of absence until the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations as otherwise it would a shame to Sarawak and Malaysia to have a state Chief Minister actively under MACC investigations following international pressures.

Will Taib go voluntarily on a fairly extended “leave of absence” until he is cleared of “grand corruption” allegations not only inside the country but internationally to the extent that it has become a diplomatic scandal with the Swiss Federation President Micheline Calmy-Rey forwarding information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body Finma (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation? Continue reading “Set up Opposition-headed Committee of Inquiry into Taib Mahmud’s “grand corruption” allegations”

By Melissa Chi
Jun 11, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 – Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should go on leave until the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) complete their probe into allegations of his corrupt practices, Lim Kit Siang said today.

The pro-government New Straits Times have highlighted the probe, which began after Taib won the Sarawak polls in April. The long-serving chief minister has resisted Putrajaya’s call to step down sooner than later, prompting a media campaign on his alleged graft offences.

“Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is currently investigating Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud over allegation of timber corruption. Continue reading “Kit Siang says Taib should take leave while under probe”

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is currently investigating Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud over allegation of timber corruption.

Its chief commissioner, Abu Kassim Mohamed said two days ago that the commission was in the process of gathering more information regarding the matter.

Is “gathering more information” tantamount to a corruption investigation under the MACC Act 2009 or is it an activity which can be outsourced to any research organisation? Continue reading “Taib Mahmud should go on leave until MACC has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations”

By Hafiz Yatim
Jun 10, 11 | MalaysiaKini

Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim slammed the operations review panel of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission today for clearing attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail of any wrongdoing in the haj trip he took with an allegedly shady character named Shahidan Shafie.

Mat Zain has also called for the setting-up of a tribunal to properly put the attorney-general on trial over the issue.

In a hard-hitting open letter to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak dated today, Mat Zain said the move to clear Gani (right) was expected, but the people were fed-up with the MACC being seen to be lying just to save the attorney general from being prosecuted.

This, he said, would cause the people to lose confidence in the MACC, resulting in what good the agency was doing being seen as a sandiwara (show). Continue reading “Mat Zain wants PM to call for tribunal against AG”

Malaysiakini Your Say | Jun 10, 11 10:37am

‘Why pay the total of RM6.5 million in cash? No one would deal in cold hard cash unless it is to eliminate the paper trail.’

Khir paid RM6.5m in cash to renovate mansion

Joker: Landscaper Nasir Ismail was declared bankrupt but can still run and operate a multi-million-ringgit business? What use is the bankruptcy law then?

Of important note, a witness under oath has testified that former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo paid RM6.5mil in cash for the renovation works. Where does he get such money?
Continue reading “We, too, want to be a dentist like Khir Toyo”

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 09, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Both the police and the national anti-graft agency must respond to claims by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that police found no proof of unusual wealth in the assets of deceased Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed, Lim Kit Siang said today.

The DAP parliamentary leader said the authorities should not wait for an inquest or a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to confirm or deny the allegations, especially as this was the second mysterious death under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) watch.

Raja Petra, in a post on his Malaysia Today website yesterday, claimed the police had conducted a thorough check on Sarbaini’s assets and found no unusual or extraordinary wealth. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Cops, MACC must answer RPK claims about dead Customs man”

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail and the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar should accede to the most reasonable request of Sarbaini’s family that police reveal its probe into the senior custom officer Ahmad Sarbaini’s death at MACC premises at Jalan Cochrane on April 6 before any inquest is decided upon.

In this connection, both the police and the MACC owe the Sarbaini family and the Malaysian public a response and explanation on the revelation by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin that the police had conducted a thorough check on Ahmad Sarbaini’s assets and found no “unusual or extraordinary” wealth.

Raja Petra blogged: “He (Ahmad Sarbaini) had only three modest cars — a Perodua Kancil, a second-hand Honda CRV and a Proton Persona — and a Modenas Kriss bike, which he rode to the MACC office on that unfortunate morning of 6th April, the day of his death. Continue reading “Reveal police probe into Sarbaini’s death at MACC before any inquest is decided upon”

Jun 7, 11 | MalaysiaKini

DAP stalwart and Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang has called on the prime minister and cabinet to override the police and attorney-general’s (AG) call for an inquest into senior customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death, and replace it with a full-blown royal commission of inquiry (RCI).

Lim (left) said such a move will restore public confidence in national institutions and also in the prime minister and cabinet.

“I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock RCI, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Muhammad Shafie Abdullah who could make the outrageous suggestion that Teoh had committed ‘honour suicide’, but Malaysians are currently being deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Ahmad Sarbani’s death,” he said in a statement. Continue reading “Kit Siang: Have full-blown RCI into Sarbani’s death”

By Yow Hong Chieh
June 07, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) looking into Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad’s death would restore public confidence in the country’s institutions, Lim Kit Siang has said.

The DAP parliamentary leader said Cabinet should be prepared to override the Attorney-General (A-G) and the police tomorrow as an RCI, like the one established for Teoh Beng Hock, was the only way to determine the cause of Sarbaini’s death.

“The Cabinet’s immediate task is to act boldly and justly into the death of Sarbani. Let the Najib and his Cabinet Ministers not disappoint Malaysians once again tomorrow,” he said in a statement today. Continue reading “Sarbaini RCI will renew faith in institutions, says Kit Siang”

Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death as in case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet

The Cabinet tomorrow should override Police and Attorney-General to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s death as in the case of Teoh Beng Hock to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet.

I have no qualms in admitting that I have reservations about the Teoh Beng Hock Royal Commission of Inquiry, particularly over the conduct and strategy adopted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its counsel Shafie who could make the outrageous suggestion of Teoh Beng Hock’s committing “honour suicide”, but Malaysians are currently deprived of a more satisfactory option to get to the bottom of Sarbani’s death. Continue reading “Cabinet should override Police and Attorney-General to establish RCI into Sarbani’s death to restore public confidence not only in national institutions but also Prime Minister and Cabinet”

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
June 06, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — The fight is on for the country’s diminishing resources and assets, and leading the charge to secure rights to projects and land ownership are Umno warlords and politically-connected individuals.

As Malaysia grapples with imminent tariff hikes and a subsidy bill that could double to RM21 billion this year, individuals within the ruling Malay party appear to be wasting little time in demanding that the Najib administration award them immediate rights to government and commercial projects.

This is evident in the current tussle surrounding Umno’s attacks on UDA Holdings Bhd’s sale of prime land in downtown Kuala Lumpur, where despite the agency’s assurance that the sale to Mutiara Goodyear would benefit Bumiputeras, Umno leaders have attacked the agency, saying RM215.5 million deal would hurt Bumiputera interests. Continue reading “As Malaysia’s assets wane, Umno scrambles for wealth control”

The authorities concerned should learn from the unsatisfactory outcome in the Teoh Beng Hock inquest and have a Royal Commission of Inquiry straightaway into senior Customs officer Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad’s death – second fatal fall-from-height incident at MACC premises in the short history of MACC.

The conduct of the MACC, the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Cabinet have been most unsatisfactory to date – taking two long months for the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers to recommend that an inquest be held.

Clearly, the inquest proposal is strongly opposed by the MACC, which had right from the beginning disclaimed any responsibility for Sarbaini’s death – just as it had disclaimed responsibility for Teoh Beng Hock’s mysterious death falling from 14th floor of MACC hqrs at Shah Alam on July 16, 2009 – even suggesting that Sarbaini had committed suicide, just like in Teoh Beng Hock’s case: that Beng Hock committed suicide, or “honour suicide” and even making the outrageous suggestion that DAP had murdered Beng Hock at the MACC hqrs! Continue reading “There should be a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Sarbaini’s death at MACC”