MACC panel: Keep probing sand mining scandal
The MACC operations review panel wants the commission and AG to dig deeper into the scandal.
(Free Malaysia Today) – A high-powered Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) panel recommended that the commission and the Attorney-General’s Chambers continue probing into the alleged corruption and sand theft syndicate in Selangor.
MACC Operations Review Panel (PPO) chairman Hadenan Abdul Jalil stressed today that the case was never closed but recently re-emerged when controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin wrote about it.
“On the case of Sri Muda state assemblyman Mat Suhaimi Shafiei and Batu Caves state assemblyman Amirudin Shaari, MACC had investigated this case.
“We have agreed that the case of these two Ybs should be looked at again by the MACC legal and prosecution division and investigations department. There are a few items that need to be thoroughly re-looked at,” Hadenan, a former auditor-general, said.
“We don’t agree that this case be closed,” he added.
However, his statement contradicted a previous MACC statement that the commission had actually completed investigations and the A-G had returned the investigation papers and recommended that no further action be taken.
When this was pointed out Hadenan appeared to be unaware of the matter.
“What news report is that? I don’t think it was ever closed. Maybe there was a misquote somewhere,” he said.
“No no… the case has been ongoing, just that RPK made it very lively again. We just feel that there is more to be done. So we re-study it. Until the PPO say the case is closed. Even the AG has to ‘follow’ the decision of the PPO,” he said.
RPK named the two reps
Previously, FMT quoted a MACC statement and reported that the case had been closed by the A-G and was marked “NFA”.
The PPO is an independent group formed by several people appointed by the government to re-study and review the decision of the A-G. The PPO members are specialists and professionals appointed by the prime minister.
On Feb 9, Raja Petra implicated the two Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen in the sand mining scandal in Selangor.
In an article published on his Malaysia Today news portal, Mat Suhaimi and Amirudin were named as the duo who allegedly colluded with a well-heeled contractor with regard to sand mining operations in the state.
The contractor was said to have forked out cash assistance to Mat Suhaimi for his programmes while Amirudin had provided a supporting letter to Double Dignity Sdn Bhd, the sand mining company belonging to the contractor.
Raja Petra also published the transcripts of alleged taped telephone conversations between Mat Suhaimi and the contractor.
Both Mat Suhaimi and Amirudin denied any involvement in the sand mining scandal and claimed that the MACC had cleared them.
