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ACA should explain why the trip claims by the Melaka Chief Minister, Exco members and BN elected representatives for attending political and private activities were classified as official duties?
 
Press Conference Comments
- after opening the Malacca DAP State Ordinary Convention
by Kerk Kim Hock

(Kota Melaka, Sunday): In a parliamentary reply to my question on the outcome of the Anti Corruption Agency ‘s investigations into the trip claims made by the Malacca Chief Minister, Exco members and Barisan Nasional elected representatives for party and private activities, the deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Senator Datuk Kayveas had on 30.9.2003 replied that ACA investigations have shown that the claims made were for official duties and there was no claim which could be interpreted as corruption.  

The reply that the claims made were for official duties was shocking as this is the first time that I have heard that attending political functions and private functions is considered as official duties which can be entitled for government claims.

 

DAP Assemblyman for Tengkera, Sdr Goh Leong San, had on 12.5.2001 made an ACA report using extracts of the Malacca Assembly answers dated 4.4.2001 where the trip claims of all the Malacca elected reps for the period from October 2000 to February 2001, whether government or opposition, were given in details.

 

Some of the dubious claims made by the BN elected representatives and revealed in the Assembly answers were a follows:

 

1.Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rastam

 

25.1.2001    Menghadiri Mesuyarat Tertinggi 4B di Ipoh

22.2.2001    Menghadiri Mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi UMNO di Tingkat 38, PWTC,

                    Kuala Lumpur

 

2. Datuk Amid Bin Nordin – Speaker Dewan

 

17.11.2000     Ke Perhimpunan Agung UMNO Khas di Pusat Perdagangan Dunia Putra    Kuala Lumpur dan Bermalam

25.11 2000   Membuat lawatan ke Kulim , Kedah dan bermalam

 

3. Datuk Poh Ah Tiam – Exco

 

25.11.2000   Dari pejabat bertolak ke Lunas, Kedah untuk menghadiri perjumpaan dan

                      perbincangan dengan masyarakat Tionghua dan bermalam

 

4. Datuk Hj Momin Bin Abd Aziz – Exco

5.2.2001      Dari pejabat bertolak ke Aras 7, UMNO Bahagian Batu Berendam untuk    

                    pertemuan dengan Pentadbir UMNO Cawangan Paya Rumput dan UMNO

                    Cawangan Klebang Besar

 

   Dari Rumah bertolak ke Sri Bendahara untuk menghadiri mesyuarat UMNO

 

5.Datuk Hj Ahmad Hj Hamzah – Exco

 

17.11.2000   Dari Pejabat ke Kuala Lumpur untuk mengahadiri Perhimpunan Agong

                     UMNO dan balik pada 18.11.2000

 

6.Datuk R Raghawan – Exco

 

17.1.2001    Dari rumah ke Melaka Seri Negeri dan ke Pejabat MIC

29.1.2001   Dari rumah ke Seri Negeri dan ke Jasin Majlis Makan Jamuan Makan

                    Malam anjuran MCA bahagian Jasin

 

7. Datuk Seah Kwi Tong – Exco

 

25.11.2000   Ke Lunus Kedah untuk perjumapaan dengan pemimpin Tionghua dan

                     bermalam

 

8.Datul Hj Long Bin Md Said – Exco

 

18.11. 2000  Dari rumah ke Majils perjumpaan Agong Khas UMNO 2000 di PWTC ,

                      Kuala Lumpur

 

9. Ramlah binti Abas – Exco

 

25.11.2000     Dari Rumah ke Lunas , Kedah bagi menghadiri Majils Perjumpaan 

                     Bersama Pemimpin Masyarakat

 

10.Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong – ADUN Duyung

 

15.10.2000     Menghadiri kursus motivasi Pemuda MCA di SJKC Ledang, Jasin, Melaka

26.10.2000     Hadiri Majlis Deepavali di rumah Datuk Ragahwan

21.11.2000     Hadiri Majlis Perkahwinan Orang Tionghua di Melaka Raya

21.12.2000     Hadiri Majlis Takziah Orang Tionghua di Melaka.

 

11.Nazari Bin Adzim – ADUN Merlimau

 

8.11.2000       Menghadiri perjumpaan khas Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Jasin dan pemuda

                     Bahagian Rim di Ayer Panas dan balik

 

Other BN elected representatives who had  made  claims for political or private activities included:

 

  1. Tuan Hj Yaakob Bin Md Amin – ADUN Tangga Batu
  2. Datuk Hj Abdul Kadir Bin Daud – ADUN Durian Tunngal
  3. Tuan Hj Abd Aziz bin Haji Isa – ADUN Pulau Sebang
  4. Ab Karim Bin Hj Sulaiman – ADUN Sungai Udang
  5. Datuk Hj Ramli Bin Mohd Said – ADUN Masjid Tanah
  6. Datuk Hj Abd Aziz Bin Hj Ab Ghani – ADUN Sungai Rambai

 

Datuk Kayveas’ answer is a big joke, as no government guideline will state that the above functions are classified as official duties of any elected representative and for which they are entitled to make official trip claims from either the Parliament or the State Assembly.

 

In fact, when I revealed such unjustified claims by the Malacca BN elected representatives in the Parliament in last year’ s sittings ,  the issue was such an  embarrassment and laughing stock that no one was prepared to come to the defence of Ali Rastam.

 

The shocking answer has put the ACA ‘s credibility in jeopardy.

 

I therefore call on the ACA to explain how they could classify such activities for political and private activities as official duties of an elected representative?

.

(5/10/2003)

* Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka