By :
MD IZWAN
KUALA
LUMPUR : Datuk Seri Najib Razak refused tonight to disclose the source of a
political donation received by Umno Sabah that was the subject of the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk
Musa Aman.
“It
is a political donation. All parties have a right to receive political
donations. As long as it is through the right channels, it is not an offence,”
the Umno president (picture) told reporters after chairing a Barisan Nasional
(BN) supreme council meeting.
“We
are not at liberty to disclose... the opposition also receives donations and
they don’t disclose,” he said.
Yesterday,
Parliament was told the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had cleared
Musa of graft and money-laundering allegations after finding that the over S$16
million (RM40 million) allegedly channelled to the Sabah chief minister through
corrupt means was meant for Sabah Umno’s use.
Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the
Attorney-General’s Chambers had shelved the matter after finding no element of
corruption in the case, which was first raised by whistleblower site Sarawak
Report earlier this year.
In
April this year, Sarawak Report had revealed documents allegedly from the
Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) showing that a Sabah lawyer
was holding some US$30 million in a Swiss bank account for Musa.
The
report also claimed that a paper trail showed that the millions in euro as well
as US, Hong Kong and Singapore dollars had been channelled from several firms
managed by Hong Kong-based timber trader Michael Chia to a number of British Virgin
Island companies and subsequently to the lawyer’s Swiss account.
Musa
has since denied any link with Chia, who was arrested and charged with money
laundering after attempting to smuggle S$16 million (RM40 million) back to
Malaysia in 2008.
According
to media reports, Chia had at the time allegedly told the Hong Kong authorities
that the money belonged to Musa.
Musa
had previously accused Sarawak Report of defaming him, claiming the graft
allegations were likely part of a conspiracy by his detractors who wanted to
topple Barisan Nasional (BN) in the east Malaysian state.
He
had said he would offer full co-operation to the authorities if he was required
to but stressed that in the meantime, his focus was on serving the state
instead of “entertaining these frivolous allegations”.
Transparency
International Malaysia (TI-M) said today it was appalled with the government’s
conclusion that “no element of corruption was proven” in its investigation of
Musa.
The
anti-graft watchdog urged the authorities today to ensure a full disclosure of
the political contribution.
No comments:
Post a Comment