PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin went ahead as pledged and lodged a report in Hong Kong today on a case of alleged money laundering involving several Sabah personalities, including Chief Minister Musa Aman.
The report, filed at the territory's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) briefly urges the body to “review and widen investigations against one Michael Chia Tien Foh, a Malaysian from Sandakan, arrested in Hong Kong in August last year for money laundering”.
Chia, a businessman, was arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport on Aug 14, 2008 for alleged money trafficking and laundering with Singapore currency worth RM16 million before boarding a flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.
“There is sufficient evidence that the five persons are acting on behalf of Musa Aman and the money held on trust for the chief minister. The corrupt money belongs to Musa Aman,” said Shamsul in a statement to press.
“I was interviewed for three hours by three ICAC officers. They promised to let me know next week on the outcome of their investigations.”
The PKR Youth chief also provided the ICAC with the names of four other persons, unnamed, who the party believes is involved with Chia.
The four persons, it is alleged in the report, are connected with “corrupt and shady practices” involving funds belonging to the Sabah state government and several government-linked companies including Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd, Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd and the Yayasan Sabah group.
“The public funds were illegally obtained and were siphoned out from Malaysia. They were deposited into various accounts in Hong Kong at UBS AG, Bank of East Asia Ltd, HSBC, Credit Suisse and Citibank,” said Shamsul.
“Being illegally obtained, the persons involved have committed an offence under the Money Laundering Act.”
According to Shamsul, there is sufficient evidence that the five persons are acting on behalf and at the behest of the top Sabah government leader and “the corruption money, in fact, belongs to him, being held in trust by them”.
No confidence in MACC
PKR Youth wants the ICAC to freeze the accounts with the named banks involving the said monies “so that it can be returned to the people of Sabah”.
They want similar action to be taken in other countries where monies may be kept in connection with the Hong Kong case involving Sabah.
Shamsul added that he was forced to lodge the report in Hong Kong and not in Malaysia “as people have lost confidence in the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).”
He urged the ICAC to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.
In a parting shot, the PKR Youth leader described “the Sabah case” as highlighting the level of corruption plaguing the top Umno/BN leadership.
He cited the 2009 Transparency International report as particularly damning on the level of corruption in Malaysia.
This was the main reason for investors to avoid Malaysia, he added.
“We must fight this injustice (corruption) and work towards a country where everyone will enjoy protection from the law and can expect fairness in doing business,” said Shamsul.
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