KUCHING, Oct 26: PKR Sarawak information chief Desmond Kho believes that Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing’s recent view of equating Federal Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) fund to money laundering is “the epitome of fantasy”.
He said the monies to fund MPKKP is legitimate and lawful.
“It really is the epitome of fantasy how this GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) advocate of ‘Jangan Lawan Towkay’ and ‘swim or sink with BN’, equates federal funds for community initiatives with money laundering.
“Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)’s website defines money laundering as ‘a process of converting cash or property derived from criminal activities to give it a legitimate appearance. It is a process to clean ‘dirty’ money in order to disguise its criminal origin’.
“Section 3 of AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Act) also envisages that the funds are ‘directly or indirectly from the proceeds of any unlawful activity’.
“The money (MPKKP fund) is clearly monies from the federal government for government initiatives. It is as legitimate as money can get.
“It is a fundamental error for the GPS leadership to confuse the MPKKP funding with the recent funds that PRS received from (former Prime Minister) Najib Tun Razak,” said Kho in a statement today.
Kho was responding to a news report where Masing who is also Deputy Chief Minister was quoted saying that PH or any institution or individuals giving funds to the federal government’s MPKK(P) should be charged under Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
“The establishment of MPKK(P) is illegal in Sarawak and allocating funds to an entity like MPKKP is therefore illegal,” Masing was quoted saying.
Kho said Masing should seek understanding of the law first, before making statement.
“Maybe they (GPS leaders) should seek a proper understanding of the law on money laundering before making any public accusations which could ultimately be embarrassing to themselves.
“If this is the simplistic understanding of law that they are applying, then it is no wonder that they are spinning their wheels trying to make the Federal Constitution work for Sarawak.
“Sarawak has experts in every field, they deserve leaders who are better advised and more qualified to the task.
“Therefore the message is clear and the writing is on the wall for GPS (is) “don’t be bitter, be better”, and if you can’t be better, then maybe for the good of Sarawak, you better be gone,” said Kho.
He said MPKKP as a vehicle for delivering and facilitating federal government’s initiatives in Sarawak seemed to have struck a raw nerve in the opposition GPS state government.
“The GPS’s earlier directive clearly illustrates that they are keen to maintain their hold on political control using their established systems. Now that it is clear they no longer control the benefits from the Federal programs, they are crying foul in many diverse ways.
“Some of these protests border on the absurd and indicative that GPS (is) simply clutching at straws or simply in our local dialect ‘ tidak masuk akal’,” said Kho. — DayakDaily
