At least Sabah’s Yong talks sense on graft in 1MDB Malaysia

At least Sabah’s Yong talks sense on graft in 1MDB Malaysia
“He, however, added that it takes more than a departmental director and his deputy to process, approve and implement RM3.3bil in development funds.

“It takes more. State and federal ministries, the Economic Planning Unit, Audit Department, among others, have some answering to do,” said Yong.”

The above quotes attributed to former Sabah Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee is about the only sane and mature statement made by a politician, thus far, on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s RM114 million in cash, valuables and assets from the Sabah Water Department (SWD) top two officials.

Read these earlier No News Is Bad News postings for context: http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/10/slowly-but-surely-more-and-more-unfolds.html and http://victorlim2016.blogspot.my/2016/10/maccs-blockbuster-rm114-million-seizure.html.

Before this, politicians from both sides of the political divide have been issuing crap or SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) statements, calling for so and so’s resignations, wait for outcome of probe, etc.
Yong, who was the state chief minister from 1996 to 1998, is an experienced politician and knows what he saying.

What he said exposes what he knows about the state and federal government procedures involving the implementation of development funds.

Indeed, one cannot expect Malaysians to believe that only the SWD duo (director and his deputy) was able to allegedly siphon away some 60% of allocations for the state’s water projects since 2010 without the notice of anyone else?

Obviously, this anti-graft seizure is not only Sabah’s biggest ever in history, it is only the tip-of-the-iceberg. There are many more dirty hands, from top to bottom.

The dirty hands, from top to bottom, are yet to be exposed but it certainly must be MACC’s prelude to the yet to be exposed thousands of graft cases involving public funds nationwide.

The question is whether the MACC has the courage to probe all the cases without fear or favour, the classic case being the now globally infamous multi-billion-dollar/ringgit money laundering network allegedly linked to the federal Finance Ministry’s entity, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Till today, after more than two years of talk, talk, talk, not a single person has been hauled up by any enforcement agency and prosecuted for the 1MDB financial scandal.

Here’s the ANN news report that was re-posted by the Malaysian-banned online news portal Malaysia Chronicle:

"PAIRIN & CO GET A WARNING FROM YONG OVER SABAH CASH STASH: ‘THE SUN, THE MOON & THE TRUTH WILL NOT BE HIDDEN FOR LONG’

Politics | October 10, 2016 by | 0 Comments

PETALING JAYA – It is premature for DAP to call for the resignation of Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, over the corruption investigation involving the state’s Water Department, said SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.

Yong said this following the call by Sabah DAP chairman Stephen Wong calling for Pairin’s resignation.


“It is still too early at the current stage of the investigation to assign political responsibility for the crisis at the Sabah Water Department.

“Indeed, people may also ask DAP about the calls for the resignation of the Penang Chief Minister who is currently facing corruption charges,’’ said Yong.

He, however, added that it takes more than a departmental director and his deputy to process, approve and implement RM3.3bil in development funds.

“It takes more. State and federal ministries, the Economic Planning Unit, Audit Department, among others, have some answering to do,” said Yong.

He added in a press release on Monday that corruption, like the economy and security, would become a major election issue.

“There is a wise saying that the sun, the moon and the truths shall not be hidden for long. Eventually, the truths will surface. And as the truths and facts emerge, it is to be expected that people will be dismayed and feel angry,” said Yong.

Last week, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested Sabah Water Department director Ag Tahir Ag Talib, 54, and his deputy Teo Chee Kong, 52, and seized over RM115mil, including some RM57mil in cash, from their houses and office.

Two others, including Teo’s older brother – a 55-year-old businessman – and his accountant have been arrested since Tuesday for investigations into what is possibly the country’s biggest abuse of power, bribery and money laundering case.
– ANN"