MACC has no credibility with Malaysians

Yesterday, the BN government was very proud to announce the exoneration of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman from the S$16 million(RM40 million) cash scandal as he was cleared by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on charges of corruption and money laundering. Did MACC carry out a full investigation including recording the statement of Datuk Seri Musa?

According to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s written Parliamentary reply, the Attorney-General’s Chambers had not found any element of corruption in the case of the Sabah businessman who was detained in Hong Kong while trying to smuggle out RM40 million in Singapore currency. Nazri said that investigations revealed that the money constituted political contributions to Sabah UMNO, and not to Musa.

The BN must take Malaysians for fools if they expect people to believe this likely story and accept the fact that all is fine because the smuggled money was for Sabah UMNO and not for Musa. What are the conditions behind giving RM40 million for Sabah UMNO and why also in Singapore currency? Again MACC is attempting to cover up and whitewash this blatant act of money politics by BN.

This RM40 million smuggled cash scandal comes hot on the heels of two other scandals involving two other BN chief ministers. It was recently alleged by a Swiss NGO that Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud’s wealth is estimated at RM46 billion, making him the richest man in Malaysia.The enormity of Taib’s family wealth is corroborated by the current divorce proceedings of his son Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu BekirTaib, in which his ex-wife has revealed that Taib’s son is worth at least RM1 billion, with 110 personal accounts in banks all over the world.

And then we have the recent wedding celebration of Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ali Rustam’s son, in which 130,000 guest were feted in an extravagant record-breaking celebration in Malaysia. Until today Ali Rustam has failed to explain how he is able to afford such a lavish wedding. Ali Rustam claims it cost only RM600,000 and he did not pay for it as it was fully sponsored. Is it not money politics if Ali Rustam had accepted “sponsorship” for his son’s wedding? In future, any couple getting married should ask Ali Rustam to fully sponsor their wedding as Ali could get sponsorship for his son.

Malaysians can no longer stomach the sheer arrogance displayed by such BN leaders who have not only accumulated extraordinary wealth but also flaunt it publicly. The Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission(MACC) has no credibility with Malaysians to conduct an independent investigation into the record breaking wedding of Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Sri Mohd Ali Rustam’s son with 130,000 guests and allegations of the extraordinary wealth of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud when no action is taken against the RM40 million given to Sabah UMNO.

Lim Guan Eng DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan