PUTRAJAYA- Billionaire Low Taek Jho is the first main “criminal” behind the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal, Home Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
He added that investigators have collected sufficient evidence to initiate prosecution against the Penang-born better known as Jho Low but needs time to act according to the rule of law.
“He is the first main criminal behind this huge 1MDB corruption,” Muhyiddin said during his speech at his first ministerial assembly with 300 staff here.
He acknowledged the exasperation felt by many Malaysians who perceive that the government is not moving fast enough on the case.
“People ask us, why are we not taking action,” he said.
“I said wait, let us gather all the information but some don’t want to wait, they are hoping for stern action to be taken, not today but yesterday. That’s how angry the people are,” he added. – MALAY MAIL
Action against Jho Low must be expedited, says Muhyiddin
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has called for efforts to bring controversial businessperson Low Taek Jhow to justice to be expedited.
He said the ministry has enough information to do so, and Low’s link to the 1MDB scandal was widely known.
Added to that, he said scandals such as 1MDB have been reported to the police and other agencies, and these could no longer be ignored.
“I do not wish to pre-empt the law, but in this case, it is clear that the parties involved have been named, and therefore stern legal action and other appropriate action must be taken immediately.
“There are people who tell us that Pakatan Harapan has been in government for three weeks, and ask why there is no action taken against the parties involved in the case I’ve just mentioned.
“I tell (them) to wait, but some can wait no longer. I hope we could have taken stern action yesterday, and not today, because we can’t avoid taking action as soon as possible,” he said in his speech during the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya today.
This comes as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced today it was seeking Low, more commonly known as Jho Low, and lawyer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to assist in their investigations on SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Rakyat tired of unchecked corruption
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said the Home Ministry was committed to tackling corruption because that was the ministry’s responsibility to do so.
He said the people replaced the previous government in the recently-concluded general election because they rejected the corruption that had been ongoing.
“We (Pakatan Harapan) are chosen (to become the government) and will fight corruption down to the grassroots, the support has been phenomenal because the people know this is cancer and they know if corruption is left unchecked, it is the people that will suffer as the cost of running the country becomes expensive, and the burden will be carried by the rakyat because the taxes are collected from the rakyat.
“If we are entrusted by the people and (if) we are irresponsible and do not manage properly, the people will be angry. Last election, the people changed (the government) because the people were angry,” he said.
Hence, Muhyiddin said his ministry was open to being investigated if summoned by the MACC to assist investigations.
“Pakatan Harapan’s commitment is to ensure that the corruption is dealt with sternly. The MACC can come to our ministry at any time to investigate anyone. We will not obstruct if there is a strong basis,” he said. – MKINI
MALAY MAIL / MKINI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.