Rafizi charged under banking law

Rafizi and former Public Bank employee Johari Mohamad will be back to the court for a mention hearing on Sept 10.

FULL REPORT

PETALING JAYA: PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli was charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court this morning for revealing confidential banking details in relation to the NFC scandal.

He was charged under section 97(1) of the Banks and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA) which carries a maximum jail sentence of three years and a RM3 million in fine.

He has allegedly breached the secrecy provisions of the Act by producing, divulging, revealing, publishing or otherwise disclosing, of any information or document whatsoever relating to the affairs or account of a banking customer.

Rafizi pleaded not guilty and was granted bail at RM15,000 with one bailor. Judge Aslam Zainuddin fixed Sept 10 to mention the case.

Rafizi was represented by N Surendran and Puspawati Rosman while the prosecution was led by DPP Nahra Dollah and Normie Faizura Aminuddin.

He was earlier arrested this morning at the Hulu Klang police station after Bank Negara formally lodged a report against him. Earlier this morning the police raided his home and detained him.

“Here’s my 1st reaction at being arrested: Damn GeorgeKent. @NajibRazak must surely love his golf buddy to risk this public relations mess,” wrote Rafizi on his Twitter message.

PKR vice president and lawyer Surendran however confirmed that the arrest was in relation to Rafizi’s National Feedlot Centre exposure.

Meanwhile Rafizi also in a Twitter message said that one Johari Mohamad would also be jointly charged.

Johari, a former employee of Public Bank, was also charged under the BAFIA law for allegedly revealing banking documents of a customer to Rafizi.

He too claimed trial and has been released on a RM15,000 bail.

DAP: Government exacting revenge

In an immediate reaction, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said the case filed against Rafizi marked a serious blow to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s anti-corruption credentials.

He added that this further undermining the underperforming Anti-Corruption National Key Result Area (NKRA) in the Government Transformation Programme (GTP)

“Rafizi has been charged for allegedly breaching the Banking and Financial Institution Act when he exposed some of the worst abuses by National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

“Rafizi has led the charge to expose a long list of wrong-doings by the company and its directors, who are the husband and children of Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the recently resigned Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.  Shahrizat is still the Umno Women’s wing chief

“Despite the overwhelming evidence exposed to date, only Shahrizat’s husband, Mohamad Salleh has been brought to court, and even then only on two 2 key charges – for misappropriating RM40 million of NFC’s money, and for acquiring 2 units of luxury condominium in One Menerung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur for RM13.5 million,” he said in a statement.

Pua added that the authorities had failed to act on Rafizi’s exposes, and instead of pursuing the culprits who have abused the RM250 million government soft loan extended to NFC, “the government has chosen to exact revenge on the whistle-blower Rafizi”.