CCM aborts checks into Suaram accounts

But they’ll return with a proper notice tomorrow. 

(FMT) – Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) officials today had to abort their inspection of Suaram’s accounts when an official of the human rights organisation noticed that their inspection notice was not in order.

According to Suaram’s monitoring and documentation coordinator Wong Ka Fai, four SSM officers, including assistant registrar Azahari Abdul Rahman, produced a notice of inspection when they appeared at his office this afternoon.

“It was a notice of inspection under Section 7 (b) of the Companies Act 1965,” said Wong.

Section 7(b) empowers the Registrar of Companies to conduct an inspection at any place or building.

“The officials were inspecting Suaram’s financial records from the year 2008 until 2011 when I noticed that the notice was signed by Azahari,” Wong said.

“When I questioned whether the Companies Act empowered them to inspect, they backed off,” said Wong.

Suaram has been in the spotlight lately for alleging corruption in Malaysia’s purchase of Scorpene submarines from a French firm. In November 2009, it lodged a complaint with French authorities asking for a judicial review of the purchase. The ongoing inquiry at the Tribunal De Grande Instance in Paris is a result of this complaint.

The inquiry is probing alleged corruption involving top officials from both Malaysia and France.

Yesterday, Bernama quoted another NGO, Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM), as urging Suaram to clarify its NGO status.

According to the national news agency, JMM President Azwanddin Hamzah said Suaram was registered as Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, a business entity dealing with event management.

Azwanddin also said Suaram had business revenues of RM497,137 in 2009 and RM411,226 in 2010.

Wong told FMT the SSM officials said they would return with proper documentation to continue their inspection tomorrow morning.