Leaked letter shows minister's aide received luxury watch as gift

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Salahuddin Ayub's political secretary had admitted to receiving a luxury watch as a gift.

This contradicted de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong's statement in the Dewan Negara yesterday that MACC cleared the aide because he had purchased the item.

Ahmad Sabki Yusof made the admission in a letter to Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) chief Abu Kassim Mohamed, which was sighted by Malaysiakini.

A ministry source verified the letter, dated May 2, as authentic.

In the letter, Sabki complained that the ministry's integrity unit was unfair to him after he submitted a declaration on July 25, 2018, about receiving the watch as a gift.

He said the unit did not make any decision on his declaration nor got back to him on the matter. Instead, he said, his declaration was used to accuse him of corruption, which he denies.

"The fact that from early on, I declared receiving the gift is proof that I was ready to leave the decision (on what to do with the watch) up to the relevant parties based on the relevant rules," Sabki wrote.

He added that the integrity unit should have guided and aided him, based on the appropriate regulations.

Sabki also claimed the unit failed to inform him of the value of the watch, and even overestimated it to be worth RM28,000.

He claimed MACC had informed him that the watch value was much lower. Malaysiakiniunderstands that the watch is worth around RM15,000.

Sabki hoped his complaint would help GIACC improve the effectiveness of integrity units in the government.

Law minister: He explained where he got the money

On April 1, MACC detained Sabki on suspicion of accepting the luxury watch but released him four days later. He was investigated under Section 16 (a) of the MACC Act.

Salahuddin had denied the existence of development projects which led MACC to probe his aide.

The matter resurfaced when BN senator Ibrahim Shah Abu Shah queried Liew about a possible conflict of interest in MACC cases involving the aides of Salahuddin and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu.

While Liew did not specify which aide he was referring to, the minister's response was: "MACC freed him (the aide) because he was able to explain where he obtained the money to buy the watch."

Of the two aides, only Sabki was investigated over a watch.

Mohamad's aide was probed for allegedly receiving more than RM800,000 from several parties to settle his bankruptcy status.

Following Liew's comments, Malaysiakini was made to understand that MACC's investigation papers on Sabki are currently with the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Asked at a press conference yesterday to elaborate on his earlier remarks, Liew said he did not wish to repeat what he had said in the Senate.

Malaysiakini has contacted both Liew's office and MACC for comment.

Erroneous remarks in Parliament is a serious matter. In the Dewan Rakyat, statements that are deemed to have misled the Lower House are considered contempt and can be grounds for disciplinary action.

The Senate does not have a similar rule in its standing orders. However, there is a privileges committee which oversees matters that might affect the powers and privileges of the Upper House. - Mkini