Najib, Musa eye alleged RM1bil cash stash for GE13? M'sia refuses to deport Amalilio

There is growing public anger among Philippine Muslims in the south as well as among outraged Malaysians in Sabah state against Prime Minister Najib Razak, his Umno party and colleague Musa Aman, who have been accused of eyeing the hundreds of millions allegedly amassed by Manuel Amalilio - wanted in the Philippines over a failed Ponzi sheme - and hence were blocking his deportation to face a Filipino court.

"We are talking about 12 billion pesos which is nearly RM1 billion. The majority of the 15,000 families scammed by Amalilio are mostly poor Muslims from the Philippines south. Their savings have been wiped out and they want justice. There is also speculation the money Amalilio took from them will be used to fund Musa and Umno in the coming general election. It is not surprising they want action," PKR MP for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Tian, togther with Subang Member of Parliament Sivarasa Rasiah and PKR partymate Darrell Leiking, had just returned from Manila after a one-day visit, where they had held talks with high-level Philippine officials.

The status of Amalilio's citizenship, his sudden and suspicious arrest by Sabah police have become hot issues in both countries where both Najib and his Phillippine counterpart Benigno Nonoy Acquino face imminent general elections.

High-level conspiracy

Malaysia is expected to hold its 13th general election within weeks and Sabah is a pivotal state that Najib's Umno-BN coalition needs to retain to stave off a resurgent Opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Philippines is due to hold its 2013 general election on May 13. Unlike Najib, Acquino's position is not at risk, but even so he cannot afford to be seen to be soft on Muslim interests. However, political watchers say the Philippine president also does not want to antagonize Najib, who can undermine the ongoing Moro peace process.

As for the embattled Najib, he is pulling out all stops to cover up the Amalilio scandal partly to appease Musa, the Sabah Chief Minister who holds the key to the outcome of the Sabah polls where 25 seats in the federal Parliament and 60 in the state assembly are up for grabs.

"There is a high level of conspiracy in the whole matter involving Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, who is Amalilio's uncle, and the Malaysian authorities in the matter. The bigger crime was carried out in Philippines and Amalilio should therefore not be held here in Malaysia," said Tian.

Lack of credibility

Indeed, the entire episode has been shrouded with controversy and it is difficult for the Malaysian side to appear credible given the slew of conflicting statements issued by their authorities including Sabah police chief Hamza Taib, who had staunchly rejected the claim that Amalilio was related to Musa.

Yet days after the official denial from the police, Anwar's statement that he knew "for a fact" Amalilio was related to Musa forced the Chief Minister to finally admit the connection.

“Yes, his mother is Musa’s first cousin. Amalilio’s real name is Kamal bin Sa'ad, born in Beaufort, Sabah. The mother is Zubaidah Omar, cousin of Chief Minister Musa Aman. Haji Aman (Musa’s father) and Haji Omar (Zubaidah’s father) are brothers,” Anwar had detailed.

Sabah police were also accused of lying over the circumstances of Amalilio's arrest, when they claimed that he had nothing to do with the Ponzi scam in the Philippines that had led President Acquino to order his arrest.

Amalilio was tracked down in an Interpol operation and was due to be brought back to face his accusers by agents of the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation. However, Sabah police arrested Amalilio on January 25 at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, stopping Amalilio from boarding a Cebu Pacific plane, accusing him of obtaining a false Philippine passport.

Days later, a Malaysian Magistrate’s Court hurriedly and controversially sentenced Amalilio to two years in prison for fraudulently obtaining a Philippine passport. Malaysian prosecutors identified Amalilio as 47-year-old Malaysian citizen Mohammad Kamal Sa'ad, prompting talk that this was yet another high-level Umno maneuver to block his deportation.

"He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in jail," said Subang MP Sivarasa, who urged Najib not to delay in ordering a thorough probe.

The Musa-Anifah-Gani trinity?

However, it looks like Najib is determined to support Musa, who is also backed up by Malaysia's powerful Attorney-General Gani Patail.

According to Philippines portal  Inquirer, Gani issued a statement a day ago confirming that the Philippine Embassy had requested for Amalilio’s extradition. Gani said Amalilio was a Malaysian citizen, and as such, would not be handed over to the Philippine authorities. He also placed a freeze on all Amalilio's assets in Malaysia.

"This looks like the Sabah trinity at work again. They are polluting Malaysia's image and making us the laughing stock of the world by disrespcting our own laws," PKR senior leader Tan Kee Kwong told Malaysia Chronicle, referring to Musa, his brother Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Gani who have often been accused of political collusion. and corruption cover-ups.

"By supporting Musa Aman, Najib is also making a monkey of everyone especially Amalilio's victims who have lost thousands of pesos and ringgit. This is pure greed for money and lust for power."

Most of the victims were poor Muslim families

It must be noted that Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima had previously stated that Amalilio was a Filipino citizen and that he had a Philippine-issued birth certificate, passport and even National Bureau of Investigation clearance.

Not only have Philippine investors been cheated of their savings but hundreds of Malaysians including high-profile leaders in Musa's own Umno-BN coalition have "been hit" investing in Amalilio's pyramid scheme.

Not many have spoken up so far but in the days ahead, leaders including the likes of Jeffrey Kitiangan are expected to tell of their own experiences in having been duped by Amalilio.

"Najib, Musa and Gani seem to be using the Malaysian citizenship issue get the support and sympathy of the Malay-Muslims on this scandal. They are trying use the argument that Amalilio is a citizen as an excuse not to deport him to Philippines which is Christian-majority. This is pathetic," said Tian.

"Firstly, Malay-Muslims here must take note that the majority of Amalilio's victims were poor Muslim families in the Philippines south, not the Christians. Secondly, not only Filipinos were cheated, many Sabahans including prominent politicians here also fell for his scheme. So don't try to incite Muslim-Christian animosity or play the patriotism card just to hide what is purely a crime of corruption and greed for money.

Money the real reason behind refusal to deport Amililio

Indeed the fight is more than just bringing Amalilio to justice in Manila. It is over the 12 billion pesos he allegedly swindled through his Aman Futures Group - believed to be mostly intact and perhaps in Malaysian accounts as he was found in Sabah state.

"Even if Amalilio had been using a fake passport, there is no reason why Gani and Najib cannot deport him to face trial for the Ponzi scam which is obviously the larger crime as it involves so many ordinary people," said Tian.

"Furthermore, what guarantee do the Philippine authorities have that unscrupulous people won't tamper with Amalilio's cash. If Malaysian authorities can suddenly U-turn and stop him from boarding his plane, if they can convict and sentence him to jail so quickly, how can Amalilio's victims be sure they won't tamper with his bank account?s" asked Tian.

While in Philippines, Tian, Sivarasa and Darell were met by an anxious press, eager to nose out the latest details on how the Malaysian authorities would respond to the scandal.

"We promise the Filipino victims and the public that as MPs we are committed to help and insist that justice must be done for all who have suffered as a result of investing in Amalilio's scam," Tian said.

Malaysia Chronicle