Showing posts with label MACC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MACC. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 24

MACC Report on Mong completed


According to The Borneo Post, Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission (Sarawak branch) has confirmed that it had long completed its investigation into the alleged abuse of power by an assistant minister which was reported here recently.

Its state director Bahri Mohamad Zin said it took them only two weeks to complete the probe into the case from the day the complaint was received.

“Yes, investigation had been carried out and was completed two weeks after it was reported.

“However, I cannot reveal our findings. All I can say is that the investigation paper has been forwarded to Deputy Public Prosecutor for further actions. On our part, we cannot reveal anything more,” he told reporters during their annual invitational shooting competition at Semenggo Army Camp near here yesterday.

To another question, he said the state MACC was still waiting for directives from its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur about preparation for the coming general election.

“Whatever the directives are, we will, as usual, work closely with the Election Commission (EC) throughout the election period,” he said.

He said the most common cases during elections were attempts by certain people to give bribes in order to gain votes.

He said as far as the MACC was concerned they would take any complaints but whether they merit further investigation or otherwise, it was for a special committee to decide.

“Usually in the evening, the committee will sit down and go through all the reports received during the day. The committee will then decide which ones have the elements of corruption and require investigation.

“If the committee feels that there are elements of corruption and should be probed then investigation papers will be opened. If the committee feels that certain complaints fall under the jurisdiction of other agencies, then they will be forwarded to the agencies concerned,” he said.

He stressed that MACC would receive all complaints but not all would be investigated especially those that were not substantiated and incomplete.

NOTE:  The Borneo Post did not identify who was the Assistant Minister. However, everyone knows that he is Mong Dagang. The MACC was investigating him for abuse of power for ordering the withdrawal of subsidies and welfare payment to an OKU person Frusis Lebi just because he supported an opposition candidate. The investigation was made following report made by PKR Youth.

Would it not an abuse of power if YBs order the sacking of community leaders like Tuai Rumah and Tua kampung? We have heard of several community leaders being sacked on such ground.

It may be an interesting to know whether MACC would investigate if we lodge a report with the anti- corruption commission.

Thursday, April 28

PKR wants immediate investigation

(This story first appeared in Free Malaysia Today)

KUCHING: Sarawak PKR Chief Baru Bian calls on the Election Commission and Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission to immediately investigate an allegation that Barisan Nasional had resorted to vote-buying to the win the Bawan Assan seat.

Bian was commenting on a news item on 100 Ibans who stormed the SUPP Office in Sibu on Monday demanding that they be paid the balance of RM400 each.

The natives from two longhouses of Rumah Chandi and Rumah Pasang claimed that they were given RM100 as an upfront payment before voting day and promised another RM400 for each voter after the election.

It is understood they have been paid the RM400.

But Ibans from another longhouse are also claiming the same amount.

Asked to comment on this, Bian said: “This is solid evidence that the BN won by ‘rasuah’ whereas we in Pakatan Rakyat lost but retained our ‘meruah’.

“This appears to be the practice everywhere including N70 Ba’Kelalan,”
said Bian who was elected as assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan.

“I demand EC and MACC to investigate immediately. This is proof of our fear in the first place that this election would be the dirtiest

“We want to see how neutral and effective EC and MACC are,”
he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Sibu SUPP Bumiputra committee Andrew Shilling denied the allegations and accused DAP and Sibu Election Watch (SEW) of making ‘absurd’ claim.

“It is very absurd, not true and baseless to say we were distributing RM400 election money to 100 Ibans as reported,” he said, claiming that the accusations had damaged the reputation of the Ibans and they are considering taking legal action.

Shilling, who is a political secretary to the Chief Minister, admitted however that he met 18 longhouse chiefs and representatives of village development and security committee (JKKK) at the SUPP headquarters on Monday to discuss payment of wages for election workers.

He said that the group of people who assembled on the ground floor of the headquarters had nothing to do with the party.

“They could be supporters of the opposition parties,” he said.

SUPP-BN candidate Wong Soon Koh was re-elected to the Bawan Assan constituency defeating DAP candidate Alice Lau Kiong Yieng with a majority of 1,808 votes.

Wong secured 7,316 votes as against 5,508 votes by Alice Lau.

The constituency has 16,743 voters, out of which 5,834 are Iban voters.

It is said that Wong’s victory was due to the strong support given by the Ibans.

Wednesday, March 16

Police Reports against Taib

KUCHING: The Movement of change, Sarawak (MoCS) on Sunday 13 March 2011 called on the Commissioner of Police Mohmad bin Salleh to initiate an investigation against Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud for alleged corruption, abuse of power and money laundering.

Head of the movement, Francis Siah, made the call after he lodged a Police report at the Central Police station against the Chief Minister.

Siah said that he made the reports based on allegations by Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) and allegations appearing in Sarawak Report and other websites.

Attached to the report, he said, were ‘documentary evidence’ so that it would be easy for the police to conduct an investigation.

“So I urge the commissioner to initiate an investigation based on the reports and allegations,” Siah said, adding that he would submit a similar report to the Police headquarters at Bukit Aman.

Early this month, Siah handed a two-inch report of allegations against Taib to the State Malaysian anti-corruption Commission in Kuching.

On February 21, the BMF released a black list of names and the company members of 49 companies in eight countries in which Taib and his family are allegedly involved.

Their stakes in those companies are thought to be worth hundreds of millions, if not, billions, of US dollars.

A considerable number of the companies is active in the real estate and property sector.

MoCS is not the only organization which has lodged a report against Taib and his family.

In early December representatives of the Berawans, Trings and Penans from Kampung Long Terawan, Long Win, Long Bangan, Batu Bungan, Long Iman and Sungai Melinau (Mulu), Tutoh, Baram lodged a police report at the Miri Central Police Station Taib on an alleged corrupt practice in alienating their land to Borsamulu Resort Sdn. Bhd. for the purpose of building a resort.

The natives in their report alleged that the Chief Minister in his capacity as the Sarawak Minister of Planning and Resources Management directed the Sarawak Land and Surveys Department to alienate part of their native community’s customary land now known as Lot 7, Block 14 Mulu Land District to Borsamulu Resort.

The Land and Survey Department is under the Ministry of Planning and Resource Management.
The natives in their report stated that the alienation of the customary land “is unlawful” and the Chief Minister has allegedly breached the law, namely the provisions in Section 2 (1) read with subsection (2) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 22/1970 and Section 2 (8) of the Eight Schedule in the Federal Constitution.

The report went on to say that the Chief Minister is involved in a corrupt practice as he himself, his children, his sister, his brother-in-law and his niece are the directors or shareholders of Borsamulu Resort Sdn. Bhd. through companies such as Kenyalang Cergas Sdn. Bhd., Mesti Bersatu Sdn. Bhd., Plieran Sdn. Bhd. and DayaSyukra Sdn. Bhd.

Dennis Along, one of the native representatives from Long Terawan making the report said: “We have decided to file this report in the exercise of our duty as responsible citizens of Malaysia to stop a breach of the law or an abuse of power by those in authority.

“As lawful landowners of the affected native customary land who have been wrongfully deprived of our land, we call on the Police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to immediately carry out investigations and take appropriate action,” he said.

In November, Sarawak PKR chairman, Baru Bian handed over to MACC reports by Sarawak Report alleging that Taib Mahmud has 400,000 shares in the highly controversial Royal Mulu Resort.

“These are very serious allegations against the Chief Minister,” said Bian, reminding the MACC that Sarawakians are particularly interested to know what actions the MACC can take.

Wednesday, September 8

Blatant disregard for Native rights

SEBUYAU: A group of villagers headed by activists Nicholas Mujah and Numpang Anak Suntai has accused the Forest Department of blatant disregard for their customary rights over their ‘pulau galau’ (communal forest) situated between Sungai Sebangan and Sungai Sebuyau when it refuses to suspend a licence issued to a logging company.

“The department has been informed by the Land and Survey department through a letter that the area is confirmed to be native customary rights land.

“Yet the forest department does not take action against the company, the quality concrete holdings, which continues to log trees in the communal forest,”
said Mujah, who is secretary general of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association in a letter of complaint to SUHAKAM.

“The logging activities have destroyed a large number of our rubber and fruit trees and cash crops,” he said, pointing out that such activities will also disturb their shrines, graveyards and their sources of incomes.

He said: “The logging activities will also pollute the people’s source of drinking water as well as disturbing the habitat of some of the protected animals such as the proboscis monkeys, orang utan, hornbills, deer and peacock.”

The area is also the home of some of the rarest species of timber such as belian (iron wood) and selangan batu which fetch up to RM4,000 a tonne.

Five longhouses namely Kampung Entangor, Kpg. Sungai Ijok, Kpg. Arus, Kpg. Tungkah Dayak and Kpg. Ensika are directly affected by the logging activities.

“All these are clear violation of the rights of the villagers and environmental hazards” he said, calling on SUHAKAN to carry out an immediate investigation into the violation of human rights by the Forest Department and the company.

Meanwhile, SADIA has also received complaints that certain Penghulu and longhouse chiefs had allegedly received some “kickbacks” from the company for their cooperation.

“If this is true, then both the company and longhouse chiefs have committed corruption,” he said and urged the Resident Office of Kota Samarahan to investigate the claim.

His group, he said, would lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the giving and receiving of “kickbacks” as well as against the Forest Department for refusing to suspend the licence it issued to the company.

The trouble between Quality Concrete Holdings and the natives began in April this year when the company received a licence from the Forest Department to log timber in 3,305 ha of communal forests in Bukit Salbu, Bukit Birut, Bukit Bederi, Bukit Bekutu, Bukit Ijok and Bukit Sandong.

Despite their protests and blockades, the company and the forest department continue to bulldoze their way to the communal forest.

The licence is expected to expire by the end of the year.

Thursday, December 3

Warrant holders are shivering?

KUCHING – Many warrant holders, the majority of them are district officers and secretaries of councils are now urinating in their pants following revelation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sarawak that 60% of funds were diverted elsewhere.

So are some of the contractors, who conspire with the warrant holders.

That is of course if MACC is serious about the issues of funds being diverted elsewhere.

“Only 40% of the allocations were spent, while 60% are bocor (leaked out),” said Zakaria Jaffar, deputy commissioner (Prevention) of Sarawak MACC last week.

The Julau MP Joseph Salang, months back, had warned the State authorities not to divert federal funds meant for particular areas to elsewhere. “There are reasons why the funds have been allocated for the projects,” he had said.

The Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen had also complained to MACC of federal fund meant for the Bandar Kuching constituency has been diverted to places like Lawas.

According to a former secretary of a council, the warrant holders should know the financial regulations. Even if the Chief Minister wants funds for certain projects diverted to projects in other areas, the warrant holder should seek permission or authority from the one who allocates the fund to divert it elsewhere. Because in the end of the day, you as a warrant holder will be answerable. The politicians will wash their hands.

Cases of funds being diverted are common in Sarawak. For example, the then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim who was minister of finance had allocated RM39 million to tar-seal the Simunjan-Punda Road in 1996. But the fund was hijacked to Kota Samarahan. Only 10 years later the Simunjan-Punda Road was fully tar-sealed.

Another case of fund being hijacked was the fund meant for the construction of a secondary school in Pantu. The fund was diverted to Betong. Until today Pantu does not have any secondary school.

Bayai in Simanggang was also robbed off a technical school when the funds for it were hijacked to Betong.

I receive an interesting email from a reader of The Broken Shield, which reads as follows: -
“A sum of RM12,000 is given to renovate and repair old house to make it better. What I found out the allocation given is nearly RM3,000 only. The rest was alleged to have been swindled by DO in this proportion RM6,000 for the DO, RM6,000 for the contractor.

Most of the houses were only given atap spandek, abestos wall and minor repairs.Whoever tries to report this, they (house owners) were threatened that they will not be given again in future allocation.

A sum of RM40,000 is given to those who don't have a house. What I found out the allocation is only RM21,000 to build a house. Actually, there is a spec to follow but the DO gave directives to follow other drawing which the allocation amounts to RM40,000. I found out that the allocation was distributed among the DO RM9,000, and the contractors RM31,000.

The contractor subcontracts the projects to other contractors at the price of RM21,000. So what we see now is RM21,000 project which is far less than its original spec.

Instead of minimizing the squatters, the DO is trying to invite more squatters. The Land & survey had come to see the DO but the DO refused to cooperate instead called other officers who ‘tak tahu apa apa'.For now, none of the contractor has been given payment. For the first batch of the projects, the projects were following all the spec given under JKR monitoring. The contractor was given based on 'cabut undi'. The projects were inspected by JKR officer. No problem for the 1st project.

For the second batch of the projects which were given without ‘cabut undi’ to mostly 'alibaba contractors' involved (one contractor given 10 projects), the spec is from the DO. The DO ordered the contractors to follow his spec so that they could swindle the money.

For inspection, he ordered other officers from other departments to verify his projects. Most of the time he asked this officer to sign the completion of the project since JKR don't want to be involved in his wrongdoing.The corruption is rampant in this district with no one daring including ACA to probe these matters.”

Jetty heard the district officer has been picked up for investigation by MACC officers coming all the way from KL. - The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 29

Kickbacks: Who should be blamed?

SRI AMAN: Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) and village headmen have been warned against asking for any kickbacks from villagers under them for endorsing their applications for financial assistance from the government.

Bukit Begunan assemblyman Mong Dagang, who gave this strong warning, said illegal practice of asking for kickbacks would only tarnish the reputation of the Tuai Rumah and village headmen.

He said as leaders of their respective villages, they should be genuine and honest in helping the people under them. (The Borneo Post dated 28 September, page 6).

It is a good advice and a timely warning coming from YB Mong. We all know that many Tuai Rumah and Penghulu have been asking for “kickbacks” or “commissions” or “kopi o money” from their anembiaks before they sign any application.

But can we blame them for asking such “kopi o money”?

I would have thought that YBs and political leaders should be blamed, because they are the ones who have been “teaching” the community leaders to be corrupted. Come election, the Tuai Rumah would be called to assist in bribing their anembiaks into voting for the BN candidates. Some money would be passed to the Tuai Rumah who distributed them to their followers. Of course being the Tuai Rumah, they would be given bigger “commissions”.

Other forms of corruption include promising the Tuai Rumah some businesses, penghuluship, pemanchaship, temengongship, and even councillor posts as well as minor rural development projects.

Some Tuai Rumah have also seen some YBs receiving some “kickbacks” from timber or oil palm plantation companies which wish to fell timber or plant oil palm in their constituencies. Some YBs have also been asking from 10 to 20% commissions from minor rural development projects from those who are lucky enough to be given the contract works.

Reporting such corruption to MACC is wasting our time. We have lodged a number of reports before with MACC (ACA then) until today no action has been taken.

No wonder the Tuai Rumah and other community leaders are getting bolder nowadays in asking for “kickbacks”. – The Broken Shield

Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 2

News from Batang Ai (Part 9)

The daily update of news
from Batang Ai by-election
----------------------------------
1. SG cars used by campaigners

Mafrel (Malaysian for free and fair elections) has taken photographs of SG cars being used in the current campaign for the Batang Ai by-election. Malfrel said it will bring up the matter with the relevant authorities, especially the Election Commission.

Will the relevant authorities take action?
-----------------------------------------
A SUPP ceramah featuring the BN candidate Malcolm Mussen was observed by 4 Mafrel observers at Lubuk Antu town on Mar 30th evening. The presence of Mafrel observers caused the 2 state government vehicles, driven by 2 datuks -which were originally parked right in front of the venue, to be driven into a dark corner behind some shops, forcing the candidate to walk a distance to get to the vehicle. This shows the impact of having official observers wearing vests around!

From our observation the candidate had a hard time answering requests from a Kapitan Cina and a headman.
Report from : Peter John Jaban

2. Three longhouses pledge support for BN

Residents from three longhouses on Tuesday pledged full support to the Barisan Nasional candidate. The pledge was done at the PRS operations room at 2.30 pm. They were represented by three persons, one Tuai Rumah and two wakils from Ensawang, Wong Pandak and Wong Panjai.

As a matter of fact, there is no need for the three persons representing the residents of the three longhouses to go all the way to pledge support to the PRS candidate at the PRS Ops room; after all they were the traditional supporters of the late Dublin Unting. Perhaps they have other motives.


3. SNAP is heading for split?

It is little doubt that Sarawak National Party (SNAP) is heading for a split after its deputy president Ting Ling Kiew pledged full support to the BN candidate, Malcolm Mussen, while its president, Edwin Dundang and secretary general Stanley Jugol campaigned for the PKR candidate, Jawah Gerang.

Ting who is now in Lubok Antu campaigning for Mussen said to the press that he had a meeting with in-coming Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak and told him that SNAP pledged its full support to his leadership and to the Barisan Nasional. Ting met Najib without the knowledge of the president. Was he alone?

Dundang had returned to Kuching from Lubok Antu where he had been campaigning for Jawah Gerang and held an emergency meeting with his CEC members.

He is expected to issue a statement today (2 April). The contents of the statement are likely to be: (a) that the views expressed by Ting are purely his own and nothing to do with SNAP leadership; and (b) Ting is likely to be expelled from the party.

4. Denial No. 1: Never promised free water

The government has never promised that it will give free electricity and treated water supply to those relocated by the Batang Ai or the Bakun hydro dam projects in the State. The settlers will have to pay their monthly bills, deputy minister of science, technology and innovation, Fadillah Yusof said.

He was asked to comment on the perception by some settlers the government had failed to honour its promise of free water and power supply to them when they were relocated to make way for the dam 25 years ago.

Some 3,000 people from 26 longhouses were relocated before 1982 when the dam was constructed and completed three years later.

Water and electricity have become hot issues in the Batang Ai by-election as many of the relocated longhouses have for the past 26 years drinking “dirty water” and using kerosene lamps to light their houses.

The government’s failure to help the relocated people is coming back to haunt them during this by-election.


5. Denial No. 2: BN does not practise discrimination

Party Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing said that Barisan Nasional (BN) does not practise ‘pilih kasih’ (favouritism) when it comes to disbursing funds for projects or allocating projects.

Even if the BN had practised the culture, especially in Lubok Antu, it was during the time of Jawah Gerang who was the MP for five terms.

I thought it was a few days ago that Masing said Jawah as an ordinary MP had no authority to decide on development plans. Now he accused Jawah of practising “pilih kasih”.

The “pilih kasih” factor is not in the BN dictionary now and this was exemplified by the handing out of cash rebates to outboard engine owners because all those affected by impact of the drastic oil price surge last year were them.

This is certainly a very bad example. Like motor car owners, all outboard owners are qualified to receive such rebates as announced by the Prime Minister whether they are BN members or not.


6. Denial No. 3: Chinese in Batang Ai not neglected

The minority Chinese in Batang Ai have never been neglected in development but are constantly given attention by the government to ensure that they enjoy the opportunities just like other communities, the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Batang Ai seat, Malcolm Mussen Lamoh said.

“I will fight for the rights of the people in Batang Ai irrespective of whether they are the minority, like the Chinese,” he said during the campaigning at the Lubok Antu Market.

There are about 300 Chinese voters.


7. Anwar’s campaigns in Lubok Antu

The Police refused to give a permit for Anwar Ibrahim to address the people at an open space in Lubok Antu. Instead he addressed about 300 to 400 people at Kampung Kutai last night.

Soon after arrival, he went to Nanga Kesit and addressed the people there. Today he will visit Bertih on the way back to Kuching and Kuala Lumpur.

More to come…stay tune to www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 24

'Tuai Rumah' beware of MACC

It is heartening to note that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has swung into action against corrupt UMNO leaders. And from the actions that have been taken, MACC seems to mean business. So far 13 UMNO leaders and members have been arrested over money politics. And more are expected to be hauled in.

The MACC actions are bringing hope to our society that is infested with corrupt practices. And the action is taken without fear or favour. Supporting the action taken by the MACC, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said: “The law of the country is the law of the country. No one can escape from it.”

And Najib’s comment is also a welcome news and an assurance to us in Sarawak as it is also bled by the evil of corruption.

But our main concern is the rampant corruption during election times when the use of money clearly puts the Opposition at a great disadvantage.

In two previous elections, the 2006 State and 2008 parliamentary elections, we witnessed a large amount of money being pumped into critical constituencies in order to influence voters and the money was passed through 'Tuai Rumah' (longhouse chiefs).

For instance in the Bukit Begunan and Batang Ai constituencies in the 2006 State election, Tuai Rumah were summoned to district offices two or three days before polling to a “meeting” during which they were handed goodies and ang pows.

When they returned to their own longhouses, the longhouse chiefs distributed the 'ang pows' to their respective “anembiaks” (followers) who were voters and warned them that any one who did not vote for the BN candidates would not be given shares of the goodies and ang pows. The “disobedient” voters might be kicked out from the longhouses.

It is a normal practice for the BN candidates to promise this project and that project for this longhouse and for that longhouse, and warn the longhouse people that the projects may be withdrawn if they do not vote for them. Is this allowed under the law?

The Opposition candidates had evidence of all these and had even lodged reports to Police and to the Anti-Corruption Agency. As usual no action had been taken.

But in the coming election, it is hoped that the recently reformed anti-corruption agency which is now armed to the teeth should play an important role in ensuring a free State election and should take actions against anyone, be they 'Tuai Rumah', Penghulu or ordinary voters for infringing the election law. 'Tuai Rumah' and their “anembiaks” should beware of this as both the givers and receivers are equally guilty under the law.

In MCAA we trust; it is the hope of the Opposition that the next State election will be run fairer, cleaner and smoother. - The Broken Shield