Probe by MACC

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Article in the Sun today:

MACC interviews recipients of aid from DAP assemblymen
By Maria J.Dass

SHAH ALAM (July 13, 2009) : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) seized files on allocations expenditure by seven Selangor state assemblymen from the Petaling District Office two weeks ago and have been questioning recipients of the money since.

Calling it a harrasment of their constituents, the seven assemblymen are planning to lodge a complain with the MACC advisory board member Tun Hamid Mohamed.Those who had their files seized are Teresa Kok (DAP-Kinrara), Elizabeth Wong (PKR-Bukit Lanjan), Edward Lee (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Hannah Yeoh (DAP-Subang Jaya), Dr Cheah Wing Yin (Damansara Utama), Ean Yong Hian Wah (DAP-Seri Kembangan) and Lau Weng San (DAP-Kampung Tunku).

Kok, who led the press conference held on the sidelines of the Selangor state assembly sitting today, said: "The MACC’s actions seem to be politically motivated because they are only targeted at Pakatan Rakyat (PR) elected representatives."

She pointed out that there had been no follow up to reports lodged early last year on some Barisan Nasional assemblymen who had spent their entire RM500,000 allocation for 2008 within the first two months of that year, adding that the MACC seems to be interest more in netting ikan bilis (small fish) compared to bigger cases such as the Port Klang Freetrade Zone.

"We are also wondering why the MACC has targeted only the Chinese assemblymen," Kok queried.

She said the imam and committee members of a mosque in her constituency to which she had donated a set of RM10,000 speakers to had been summoned and questioned by the MACC more than once.

"What is our offence? That we used our allocations to help our constituents? What is their motive?" Kok asked, saying that they did not know about the seizure of the files until the recipients of the funds called to say they were being summoned by MACC.

Wong said she had received a call from an organiser of a Deepavali Carnival in her area saying that he was called up and questioned by the MACC pertaining allocations received."I consider this as harassment and intimidation of my constituents," she said.

Yeoh meanwhile said her assistant received a call from the MACC on Friday inquiring about a RM10,000 allocation for a health clinic.

"We hold this health clinic two to three times a year for those in the lower income group in my constituency which does not have a government health clinic," she said adding that no one from MACC attended the clinic which was held at Indah Court in PJS11 although invited.

"All our expenditure is transparent and available on my blog, I have nothing to hide," she added.

Yeoh said the MACC should concentrate on those who had misused the people’s money instead of harassing and intimidating the public and checking on monies allocated for beneficial programmes for the people.

Kok added MACC should check on the Deputy Prime Minister’s offer to the people of Manek Urai to build a RM7 million bridge if they put BN in power in their area.

"Is this not a bribe?" she asked.

The government’s money is after all from the people’s taxes and the federal government has a duty to use their money for the benefit of the Manek Urai people, thus if the people there need a bridge then the government should build it and not use it as a pawn to garner votes, said Kok.

My thoughts:

Being clean is of utmost importance to me. That's the reason why I entered politics - to fight corruption. We were informed that MACC has gone to the Petaling Land Office to take away all our files on allocation. My special assistant who is in charge of the free health screening programs in Subang Jaya is given RM10,000 a year to organise two to three of such programs yearly. Please click here to view all our previous health screening programs.

When my special assistant received a call from MACC last Friday, he even invited MACC to attend our health screening project planned for Indah Court residents in PJS 11, Bandar Sunway on last Sunday (photos will be posted on my blog soon). We did not see any MACC officer on that day.

I have even blogged about usage of the annual allocation before. We have diligently ensured that the allocation is spent only for the residents/organisations in the Subang Jaya constituency. All funds used for programs organised by my office are accounted for. For those who wish to view the receipts or breakdown of these funds or if you have any query pertaining to the allocation, please make arrangement to view it at our office.

That RM10,000 was used for the residents since the Federal Government has failed to provide a public health clinic/hospital for the people of Subang Jaya. I have complied with the requirement that allocation is purely used for residents/constituents and not used for DAP events. You can ask the residents of Subang Jaya who have benefitted from such allocation.

I believe this probe by MACC is to discredit us and to instill fear in the residents. I believe BN wants the residents to turn to their BN reps for financial assistance and then they can claim that the people still want them and are still turning to them for assistance. I am here to serve and not to steal from the people. I have not used the RM10,000 to pay for my hospital bills or to build myself a mansion. I have used the RM10,000 for my residents who find it hard to afford medical check-ups.

Thank you MACC for your energy and enthusiasm in curbing corruption. I think you are looking in the wrong places.

http://hannahyeoh.blogspot.com/2009/07/probe-by-macc.html

seals: Is it a crime to do better the BN?