MAN STEALS PETAI, 15 MONTHS JAIL – MUSA AMAN, 46 CORRUPTION CHARGES OVER US$50MIL BUT GETS OFF SCOT-FREE: JUSTICE BECOMES BLIND UNDER MUHYIDDIN REGIME – MAHATHIR LOYALIST

JUSTICE may be blind, said A. Kadir Jasin after comparing Musa Aman’s acquittal with the 15-month jail sentence meted out to a petai thief in Terengganu.

In a Facebook post, the veteran newsman said it does not take a legal expert to realise the many unanswered questions surrounding the “unexpected, sensational acquittal and discharge” of the former Sabah chief minister.

Musa was acquitted of all 46 corruption and money-laundering charges after the prosecution withdrew all the charges against him linked to timber concession contracts in the state.

“Unlike the Terengganu labourer who was charged with a single offence of stealing petai and was jailed for 15 months, Musa was charged with 46 criminal offences involving US$50.1 million,” Kadir said in the post.

He said although the Sg Sibuga assemblyman was accused of multiple charges of corruption and money-laundering, none of it could be proven.

Kadir said there had been criticisms on both the current Attorney-General, Idrus Harun, and his predecessor, Tommy Thomas with regard to the case.

“Questions are being asked if Thomas had not done his job as an A-G and had instead filed charges against Musa to serve the political purpose of the government of the day,” he said.

The adviser to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it was also immaterial an A-G was appointed by Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional, as the laws remained the same.

Kadir said the fact the monies were deposited in Hong Kong raises the question as to why bona fide political contributions were stashed away in the Chinese territory.

“It only serves to raise the assumption they were clandestine funds.

“The apparent over-reliance on the outcome of the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation is a matter of concern because our law should not be in any way subservient to the findings by the Hong Kong commission,” he said.

He added that since the alleged corruption took place in Sabah and was investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), hence the findings of the anti-graft body should take precedence.

“Being an offshore financial centre, Hong Kong ICAC was likely to be concerned more with the manner the funds were deposited rather than their sources.

“It also raises questions on the expertise of our anti-corruption agency vis-a-vis its Hong Kong counterpart,” he said.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT