When Did Former Sabah Chief Minister (CM) Datuk Osu Sukam Incurred His RM 7.1 Million Gambling Losses, Whether He Had Any Other Gambling Debts Or Accumulated Unexplained Sources Of Income And Whether The Gambling Habit Affected His Duties As Sabah CM?

Press Statement
by Lim Guan Eng  

(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): Both the government and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) should fully investigate former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Osu Sukam when he incurred RM7.1 million in gambling debts, the amount of any other gambling debts, whether he accumulated unexplained sources of income and whether this gambling habit affected his duties as Sabah CM. This follows the failed bid by two foreign casinos in Sabah High Court on 5.7.2005 to recover RM 7.1 million in gambling debt incurred by Datuk Osu overseas.

The Ritz Hotel Casino Ltd and RHC Ltd had obtained a judgment in the English High Court to enforce gambling losses incurred by Datuk Osu for RM7.1 million after Osu was allowed to gamble on credit. The two casinos tried unsuccessfully to register that English judgment in Sabah High Court. Sabah High Court judge Ian Chin also refused to award costs to Osu “because Osu had engaged in an activity his religions frowns upon and it would be against public policy to assist by awarding him costs.”.

DAP does not intend to pass any moral judgments whether the actions by Osu is against Islam as this is a personal matter of faith between Osu and his God. However DAP is concerned whether the gambling habit actions by Osu had affected the performance of his public duties as Sabah Chief Minister which was against public interest. For this reason, both the government and Osu must explain whether the RM 7.1 million gambling debt or any other gambling debts was incurred before, during or after he was Sabah Chief Minister, Deputy Minister or Minister.

Those having gambling debts usually resort to desperate measures including committing wrongdoings to pay off these gambling debts. The public has a right to know whether the gambling debts influenced his decision-making as Chief Minister or accumulated extraordinary wealth. Any failure to clarify this issue would raise huge doubts about decisions taken when Osu as Chief Minister as not impartial, responsible or in the best interests of the public.

Such expensive gambling habits shows the different lifestyles of rich UMNO politicians in contrast to the poor people that UMNO and BN claims to represent and fight for. Datuk Osu can afford to gamble away millions of ringgit rolling the dice in luxurious casinos, but a poor family living in poverty in Kuching had to eat snails to survive. Is this BN-style development to the people? Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Sharizat Jalil said that the government gave them financial assistance of RM350 per month. 

RM 350 per month for a family starving in poverty whilst RM 7.1 million can be gambled away on a few nights. This RM 7.1 million can benefit 20,286 person receiving RM 350 each month. Is the government so out of touch with the public not to know that in relative terms the rich in Malaysia has become richer whilst the poor remain poor?

DAP condemns such actions by a former Sabah Chief Minister that has shamed the country and BN leaders. This case is a sad reminder of how BN leaders get money and then how they spend such benefits. DAP hopes that BN MPs who expressed outrage at the poor family’s plight who ate snails to survive can condemn Osu’s irresponsible behaviour. The government and ACA must step in to uphold integrity and honesty as well as the credibility of the anti-corruption campaign of Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by launching a full investigation of the background and the consequences of Datuk Osu’s gambling habits and debts

(07/07/2005)