On 13th July, seven ADUN of Pakatan Rakyat in Petaling District called a press conference where we have criticised MACC officers for harassing the recipients of our constituency allocation funds.
In that press conference, we also questioned MACC officers on why they only took away the Chinese ADUNs allocation files from the land office.
The seven ADUNs, including me, are Hannah Yeoh (Subang), Ean Yong Hian Wah (Sri Kembangan), Dr Cheah Wing Yin (Damansara Utama), Edward Lee (Bukit Gasing) and Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku), all from the DAP, and Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan) from Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
On July 16, the New Straits Times reported that “a MACC source” said they were investigating five other Selangor assemblymen, all Malays, for alleged falsification of claims.
The NST editorialised that: “This is contrary to the claim made by Selangor executive councillor Teresa Kok that only Chinese state assemblymen were being investigated by the commission”.
If that is not enough, the NST published on July 20 a letter purportedly written by a reader named P.M.T of Kuala Lumpur who criticised me for asking the MACC for explanation. The headline chosen for the letter was, however, “Remark is inflammatory”.
I have written a letter to the Petaling District Officer about files taken by MACC officers yesterday, and he replied me in writing that the MACC officer, Hadri Bin Hashim, has taken seven DUN constituency files away from them at 1.45pm on 23rd June 2009. The truth is no
files from other state assemblymen in the Petaling district, except the seven of us, were taken by the MACC.
The reply from the Petaling District Office that the statement made by seven of us on July 13 is correct, i.e, the MACC officer has just taken seven Chinese ADUNs’ files for investigation, and no other ADUNs are being investigated. So, we were just stating a fact.
Now I am still asking the same question based on facts. I did not and would never make any inflammatory or racial remark as suggested by the NST.
We are still waiting for the MACC to provide the full details of other state assemblymen being investigated for whatever alleged wrongdoings.
What we want to know now is who are these five other Malay state assemblymen and why are we being investigated.
MACC cannot simply call recipients of the constituency allocation and fish for mistakes. If they received reports about “misused” of funds, they should zoom into the particular allegations and investigate from there.
I urge MACC to be professional while carrying out their duties. MACC should be independent and should not be seen as agent of the BN government to look for mistakes and persecute the Pakatan Rakyat ADUNs.
MACC should rightly apologise to all the seven Pakatan Rakyat ADUNs of Selangor for lying in this episode.
Is it too difficult to offer an apology if it has obviously done wrong?
MACC should be accountable and transparent for their actions!