ABU: ‘anything but Umno’ or ‘asal bukan Umno’

Since the house in Seremban is not registered in the AG’s name, this means the house does not belong to him and what Malaysia Today reported is therefore false. And this would also mean that the investigation is now complete and no further action needs to be taken against Gani Patail.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Pressure on MACC chief to clarify Ho Hup 'visit'

(Malaysiakini) - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed should issue a statement on the graft busting body's "visit" to Ho Hup's Bukit Jalial headquarters two days ago.

Social Care Foundation chairperson Robert Phang said the MACC's quiet role would help allay fears that it will not be intimidated when acting or investigating allegations of corruption of a person while acting without fear or favour.

"MACC's Abu Kassim should issue a statement with his pledge that the MACC would not be intimidated or influenced by any person stature and that action would be taken to investigate regardless that the subject or suspect may be a 'big fish' and not just some 'ikan bilis'.

"If only Dato Seri Abu Kassim would make that announcement, that would allay all public cynicism and skepticism. That would assure the public not to worry because MACC is vigilant and alert to allegations that are already circulating in the public domain," he said in a statement.

Phang added that this is the only way that the MACC can regain the rakyat's trust and confidence.

It was reported yesterday that Ho Hup officials admitted the MACC had visited them on Wednesday, contrary to an earlier report which appeared in political blog Malaysia Today, terming it a raid.

The report also carried a denial from Ho Hup officials that documents were taken in the half-hour visit. Allegations in the public domain from Malaysia Today since last month had linked attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail with the construction giant.

This follows claims that Ho Hup had paid for the renovations of Gani's house in Seremban in return for a favour done to one of its former directors. Gani had vehemently denied owning any property there.

Leave of absence advice

Phang in the statement also said it would be commendable for the government and the MACC be transparent in this matter.

"It would be more commendable for all parties if the investigation can be transparent. Already talk is rife that the visit and seizure of Ho Hup's documents are to achieve some other ulterior objective namely to destroy evidence of any misconduct by the AG. That perception is unfortunate," he said.

Thus, one way in which Gani, the MACC and the government can show transparency in this mater is to ask Gani to go on leave of absence until the investigations are over, he added. "

"This would sweep away all the dust of suspicion that otherwise would linger on in this matter."

The social activist had resigned as MACC advisory board member when claims surfaced in blogs that he was involved in corrupt practices. To protect the anti-graft body's integrity, Phang quit the committee.

He was eventually cleared by the MACC of the allegations which had surfaced earlier this year.

"I ask AG Gani Patail to be selfless in this and do what I had done when an unfounded allegation was made against me earlier this year. Then, Gani Patail would earn my respect as a true patriot."

Phang also clarified his earlier statement titled 'AG Gani Patail: MACC must show independence and not impotence' which may have upset certain MACC quarters.

He said it was not to demean the MACC but to challenge, motivate, provoke and fire-up the anti-corruption entity and its officers so they would be vigilant in the fight to stem corruption.

"After all, I still regard myself as part of the MACC support group," he said.

***************************************

That was what Malaysiakini reported. What was not reported, however, was that the MACC officers who raided Ho Hup’s office told the Ho Hup staff that Malaysia Today’s report about AG Gani Patail owning a house in Seremban is not true. According to the MACC, the house is not registered in Gani Patail’s name. So this means the house does not belong to him.

Since the house in Seremban is not registered in the AG’s name, this means the house does not belong to him and what Malaysia Today reported is therefore false. And this would also mean that the investigation is now complete and no further action needs to be taken against Gani Patail.

The fact that the MACC has already come to a conclusion means we can expect what the result is going to be. It is going to be No Further Action or NFA. And the AG is, again, going to get off scot free like the investigation on his pilgrimage to Mekah.

A few of Ho Hup’s staff have been summoned to the MACC office for their statement to be recorded. But since they have already been told that the allegation against the AG is a lie, they will have to make sure that their statement dovetails with the conclusion already made by the MACC. It would be foolish for them to make a statement opposite to this and contradictory to what the MACC told them -- that the allegation is not true.

In the meantime, to make sure that no one deviates from the story which the MACC has already decided is the ‘true story’, Dato TC Low is being made to face a criminal charge. Further to that, his sister, Low Lai Yong, is facing 11 charges for various technical offences under the Companies Act and Securities Commission Act. Each charge is subject to a bail of RM 1 million!

That should frighten everyone and which will ensure that everyone toes the line and says what the MACC wants them to say.

And, as a final nail in the coffin, the Social Care Foundation chairperson, Robert Phang, is also being investigated to determine whether he is working in concert with Malaysia Today. That, of course, is meant to frighten Robert Phang in the hope that he will back off or else suffer the allegation of being Raja Petra Kamarudin’s ‘team member’.

Now do you know why we need changes? Now do you know why we need to kick out Umno and Barisan Nasional come the next election?

Honestly, I do not know whether Pakatan Rakyat can be a better government. But for sure they can’t be worse that what we are seeing thus far.

We may need to forget about whether Pakatan Rakyat can be better than Umno or Barisan Nasional. We may need to just embark on ABU (anything but Umno or asal bukan Umno). That may be our only hope for change.