Putra Vice President Hamidah Osman has accused Pakatan Harapan for not voicing out on the MAPS scandal when we were in power. This is not true. When I was the director and Chairman of Audit committee for Perak Corporation Berhad(PCB), I have directed an internal investigation on the MAPS scandal. A special internal audit report on MAPS has been completed and also published to the public in the form of public announcement on Bursa Website. I have also moved a motion to debate the special internal audit report on MAPS in the state assembly however the motion was retracted on the promise by Perak MB Ahmad Faizal that help to MAPS was on the way.
The promise by Perak MB went unfulfilled and MAPS is currently in the process of auction. It is tragic that MAPS which was dubbed as the mover for tourism industry in Perak has to be closed down and all employees retrenched despite numerous promises by Perak MB that MAPS will not be closed down and the Perak State Government will definitely provide financial assistance to MAPS.
The state Public Accounts Committee together with PCB have also appointed PwC to do a forensic audit on MAPS in which the final report has been prepared but yet to be tabled to PAC meeting as Pakatan Harapan state administration fell in March.
New evidence in the form of court documents suggests that the banks were well aware of the corruption and mismanagement of the MAPS scandal brewing back in 2015 and yet decided to drawdown the remaining loan of RM280 Million despite knowledge of the potential fraud and scandal where the Syndicated Term Loan (STL) was not wholly and exclusively used in the construction of MAPS.
The banks should have acted on this information and knowledge and stop the remaining drawdown of the STL. However the bank took the easy way out to continue releasing the balance of STL despite knowledge of leakages and fraud in the construction of MAPS.
Since MAPS was a state government project, the banks have a social responsibility to whistle blow to stop this scandal and not to just profit from the interest earn and to protect only their own interest. The court documents are alleging that the MAPS financial leakages and corrupted practices were already well known by the banks, PCB administration and also the state administration as early as 2015. However no action has been taken to stop the MAPS scandal from getting bigger.
I urge the banks to own up to their duty and come clean on their involvement with MAPS. I also urge MACC to investigate all parties who are directly and indirectly involved in the MAPS scandal.
Media Statement by DAP Perak Publicity Secretary and State Assemblyman for Keranji Chong Zhemin on 5th October 2020 in Ipoh.
Related news:
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/481574/perak-govt-will-not-close-maps-says-mb