MACC makes headway against corruption

KUALA LUMPUR: Whatever one's views may be, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is making great strides in curbing corruption in the country.Better known by its previous Malay acronym BPR (Badan Pencegah Rasuah), it was originally established as a government agency with the unenviable task of investigating and prosecuting the corrupt, in both public and private sectors.

Now, as an independent agency, it is modelled after top anti-corruption agencies such as the Independent Commission on Anti-Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong and the Independent Commission Against Corruption in New South Wales (Australia), with five independent bodies monitoring it to ensure its integrity and protect the rights of citizens.The Anti-Corruption Advisory Board, Special Committee on Corruption, Complaints Committee, Operations Review Panel and the Corruption Consultation and Prevention Panel are managed separately from other government offices to provide an independent perspective.

BERSIH 2.0 – DROP YOUR RALLY, DISCUSS WITH EC AND DECIDE LATER

PRESS STATEMENT BY
TAN SRI DATUK ROBERT PHANG. Justice of Peace.
Chairman – Social Care Foundation

The whole country has been debating the Bersih 2.0 rally planned for July 9. Perkasa says it is going to stage a counter rally. Umno Youth is planning a rally of their own. The police say that Communist elements are involved and have started arresting people. The Home Minster has threatened to use the ISA against the organisers and others. The prime minister has said that the rally is a calculated move to unseat the government by force. Business people have come out in protest that the rally will disrupt their businesses and make life hard. All over a failed dialogue between Bersih 2.0 and EC pertaining to the Rakyat to demand a free, clean and fair elections.

I need to highlight the fact that the rally by Bersih 2.0 maybe staged by peace loving Malaysians but with the fact that Perkasa has decided to stage a counter rally which means anything can happen from that stage and if there is a group of shit-stirring, instigating and provoking each other. The situation can turn out to be disastrous and beyond control. Business will be interrupted, innocent lives may be lost. A situation where we should avoid.The EC have said that they are prepared to meet with Bersih 2.0 to sort things out. Bersih 2.0 has said that it is futile to talk to the EC because they have tried to do so in the past without any results. Since the EC has offered that the Door is open for discussion, I appeal to Bersih 2.0 and the group to seriously indulge and engage with the EC.

To explore better ways to settle their difference and to seek meaningful results, because all of us do not want to see the Rakyat heading for a showdown. Under all circumstances, COUNTRY MUST COME FIRST. It is a common feeling of the Rakyat, that since EC has open the door for discussion, Bersih 2.0 should take it up and exhaust all the efforts, otherwise the Rakyat will ponder the reasons for the refusal of Bersih 2.0 to discuss with EC.Why don't we try this instead? Bersih 2.0 accepts the EC's invitation to talk at a date, time and place set by Bersih 2.0, with the understanding that should nothing new come out of the talks the rally will go on. And the government and police will then allow a peaceful rally to proceed. Bersih 2.0 will need to prove once and for all that it is NOT politically-motivated. The government is given the chance to prove that it is.

It is in everybody’s interest that Bersih 2.0 and the group should engage with EC as to explore every chance to avoid this dangerous confrontation. Bersih 2.0 and the Group, please therefore drop the call for the rally and proceed to discuss with EC.

We all love peace and support it in the most orderly manner.
 
We pray.

Ex-cop claims AG concealed billion-ringgit scandals

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — A senior ex-cop has accused Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail of burying evidence of corruption by senior government leaders between 1994 and 1996, involving losses of at least RM12 billion in public funds.Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim said Abdul Gani, then a senior public prosecutor heading the prosecution division in 1994, was involved in covering up the roles of “ministers and chief ministers” in scandals such as the RM8 billion and RM4 billion losses incurred by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Perwaja Steel respectively.

What a liar you are, Guan Eng tells Soi Lek

Sure it's time, ideal and absolutely necessary for Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to address this strong allegation that Soi Lek is a liar. I am sure the rakyat more so the Chinese community will like to know.

MCA should stop believing its own lies when MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek claimed in an interview published fully in The Star today that, “Penang had allowed the water tariff to increase by 20 percent while Penang was now running on a deficit budget, which he expects to deepen next year.”This is untrue as Penang PR has an unblemished record of 3 straight years of surpluses since we took over from BN in 2008 by relying on corruption-free and good governance based on CAT. This has been confirmed by the Auditor-General’s Report that Penang is the best financially managed state for two years running. Penang is the only state or Federal government in Malaysian history that has been praised by Transparency International for fighting corruption.

Ho Hup wins suit, court declares deal null and void, firm can revamp

I highlighted the dispute of the Ho Hup Constructions Co Berhad , three (3) months ago. Now at last the court decided the deal was null and void. Ho Hup Constructions can proceed with the revamp plan. I believe justice always prevail.

PETALING JAYA: After more than a year of litigation, the Kuala Lumpur High Court has finally ruled in favour of Ho Hup Construction Co Bhd by declaring null and void a joint development agreement (JDA) between the latter's 70%-owned subsidiary, Bukit Jalil Development Sdn Bhd, and Pioneer Haven Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned unit of Malton Bhd.The finalisation of the court decision would enable Ho Hup to proceed with its financial regularisation plan, which had been delayed pending the outcome of the suit.

Ho Hup had been working to regularise its financial condition since being listed as a Practice Note 17 (PN17) company in July 2008.“With the JDA reversed, the full development rights of the valuable, prime piece of land would revert back to our subsidiary Bukit Jalil Development,” Ho Hup executive director Derek Wong said in a statement yesterday.“This means we can fully leverage on this prized asset to restructure the company's debts and regularise our operations and financial condition,” he said, adding that the company would now focus on finalising details of its PN17 regularisation plan and submission to the authorities.

MACC panel clears A-G and Phang

KUALA LUMPUR : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has closed the files on case involving Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and former Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel member Tan Sri Robert Phang. MACC Operation Assessment Panel chairman Tan Sri Hadenan Jalil said the panel, at its meeting yesterday, agreed with the commission that no further action should be taken in both the cases.

"We went through the findings of the MACC investigations into Gani, who was alleged to have received funds to perform a pilgrimage to Mecca, had shown no wrongdoing.  As for the prob into Phang, who was accused of trying to bribe a minister secretary-general, he said no evidence was found to justify the charge.


Source : New Straits Time - 1st June 2011 

 

'I will continue to speak without fear'

OUTSPOKEN Tan Sri Robert Phang Miow Sin, who has just been cleared by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of bribery allegations, said what happened will not deter him from highlighting the truth about matters affecting the nation."I will continue to speak without fear as the nation needs daring speakers like myself," said Phang, who is in his 70s, when interviewed by The Malay Mail.
"Since I'm very outspoken on various issues, some people have tried to stop me."

Phang resigned as a member of MACC's consultation and corruption prevention panel soon after an anonymous blogger's allegation in January that he tried to bribe a senior government official, a secretary general of a ministry, before Hari Raya last year, to induce the awarding of RM900 million worth of contracts.
The blogger also said Phang had hidden bribe money in a T-shirt and that the senior government official had told Phang to get out of his office.