MPs disappointed with rejection of motion on Taib Mahmud

TAIB MAHMUD : This man is being
highly treasured and protected by PM
NAJIB RAZAK and UMNO/BN regime,
putting him above all laws in Malaysia.

By Joseph Tawie

Parliament has rejected a motion by two MPs to discuss the global probe on Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

KUCHING: Parliament has rejected the motion of two opposition legislators to discuss the international investigations involving Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s alleged money laundering activities.

Expressing their ‘deep disappointment’ over the rejection of their motion by the Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, MP for Bandar Kuching Chong Chien Jen said: “I think this matter needs the immediate attention of the House as this is the first time that a chief minister from Malaysia has been subjected to investigations by foreign governments.”

When asked why the motion by him and Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng was rejected, Chong said the Speaker seemed to believe that they were looking to verify the allegations of money laundering linked to Taib.

“The Speaker thinks I am seeking to verify the truth of the allegations. But that is not true.

“I am asking Parliament to discuss what action should the federal government take arising from such reports.

“As you know internet reports nowadays can be read all over the world.

“And with such reports, should not the government launch a full scale investigation or to liaise with the foreign governments?

“The government cannot sit quietly over such accusations and reports.”

Budget debates

Chong added that the Speaker wanted him to raise the issue during the debates on the budget 2012.

He said that during the budget debates there are a lot of issues to be debated especially when they are given limited times.

“I was hoping for this specific matter to be brought out in a special forum where full scale debates can be conducted rather than in the budget debates where the ministers normally give oral replies for the first half and the second part the answers will be given in written replies.

“Usually Nazri Aziz (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department) will reply and it is his common practice to answer the first part in oral replies and the second in written replies,” he said.

Nazri, he said, conveniently escaped from dealing with such matters face-to-face with parliamentarians.

No urgency, says Speaker

On Thursday, the Speaker rejected Chong’s motion on the ground that the issue was of ‘no urgency’ as the House was debating on the Budget 2012.

The Speaker also noted that “the relevant agencies” were already “looking into the matter.”

It has been widely reported that the authorities in Switzerland, Germany and Australia are investigating allegations of money laundering, abuse of power and corruption against Taib and his family.

Taib’s properties in America, Canada, England, Australia, Switzerland and Germany are worth billions of ringgit.

Locally, several reports have been lodged with Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against Taib and his family.

Although MACC said that it had initiated its investigations based on the reports lodged just before the state election, until now nothing has been heard about such investigations.

Several opposition leaders have demanded MACC to expedite the investigations, but there is little response from the commission.

Source : FMT