KUCHING, Sept 22: State Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmakers will be writing to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong to reopen investigation files against Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for alleged corrupt practices.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said he had talked to Liew on this matter and was advised to write in officially.
“I raised this issue in Parliament to urge MACC to reopen the files and investigate Taib, but the answer given to me was that the investigation files have been closed in 2013. So following that, I talked to Liew and we (state DAP) will write to him to get the investigation going again.
“We want to stress that this is not a witch hunt. We are not just trying to target one person. We just want to fight corruption as a whole. In order to fight corruption, especially in Sarawak, there is a white elephant we need to address,” stressed Dr Yii.
He appealed to the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) to carry out their responsibility without fear or favour as the state DAP had been keeping tabs on this issue with the de facto law minister.
“He (Liew) has openly welcomed such an initiative. So, we will continue to follow up to make sure the corruption measures that have been implemented since the formation of the new Pakatan Harapan (PH) government would also be extended to the shores of Sarawak,” said Dr Yii.
Meanwhile, Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei said the call to reopen the investigation files against Taib was in view of the corruption charges against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. A total of 32 charges have been filed against him following investigations by the police and MACC.
Following numerous reports, be it formal or informal, investigations were carried out against Najib and, eventually, he was charged in court. The same can be done with Taib, he opined.
Wong lamented that after all the reports against Taib on his alleged corruption, the state MACC had not carry out investigation.
“I believe many Malaysians, especially Sarawakians, are begging for answers. Dr Yii has been outspoken in Parliament, urging MACC Sarawak to reopen the files on Taib’s alleged corruption reports and investigate them. However, till now there has been no investigation,” said Wong.
He said this seemed to indicate that the state MACC was practising double standards.
“State MACC director Razim Mohd Noor claimed that there was no formal report made against Taib, but I believe there has been numerous news published on the alleged corruptions and even news reporting that formal reports have been made by us.
“Even I myself lodged a report on the land alienation by the state government valued at RM300 per acre, a meagre price paid by a select few and cronies of Taib who are now members of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
“But till now no investigations were conducted on this. So I urge MACC Sarawak to reopen the files and summon Taib to make statements. Only then we can call it an investigation,” said Wong. — DayakDaily
