'Shafie's denial in Dewan warrants probe' call
Published on: Saturday, March 18, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah MCA has joined the call for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe former Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal's alleged involvement in Sabah's 'Watergate' scandal.Its Luyang Assemblyman Hiew King Cheu (pic) said the denial of the former Minister's knowledge of the alleged misappropriation of funds in the Sabah Water Department during a Parliament debate speech caused confusion among the people."Shafie pointed out that he has no such power and jurisdiction to award any contract.
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"His words raised much confusion among the people who are very concerned about what actually happened with that huge amount of money linked to the projects under his Ministry over the past years."In order to clear the mist on what had happened with the 'Watergate' scandal, it is best for the MACC to probe whether Shaffie had any involvement in it," he said in a statement, Friday. Hiew said if Shafie is clean as he claimed, then he should not have to worry when MACC calls him to assist in clearing the matter."The public have the right to know.
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"This is a high profile case…and it should not be swept underneath the carpet and be forgotten. There should be no stone left unturned.
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"We are talking about a huge sum of taxpayer's money involving millions of ringgit, and the money should be used to benefit the people, especially rural folk."He said Shafie's denial in Parliament caught the people by surprise."How can a full minister in charge of an important ministry come up and state he didn't know, and if he doesn't know, then who else? "Shafie has even pointed his finger towards the Sabah Infrastructure Development Ministry and the Chief Minister on many occasions. "If someone understands the operation and administrative functions of the ministry and government, they can easily visualise that there is something highly irregular in Shafie's speech," he claimed.Meanwhile, a statement by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim that Mohd Shafie Apdal would not be called for questioning in the Sabah Water Department corruption investigation, has nothing to do with a report lodged with MACC by Gerakan Akar Umno Umno Malaysia (Gaum), recently.Gaum Chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar said the Sabah Watergate case which is presently being heard in court is different.He said two official reports were lodged with MACC .He said the first was lodged in MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 2, this year pertaining to an allegation of misuse of power by Shafie who helped to obtain water supply projects in Tenom and Papar in 2011 and 2012 for an official of his Parti Warisan. The report was made based on allegation and claim of power abuse by Shafie that was mentioned in a blog of Chegu Bard, the founder of Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia."The second report lodged at the same place by Gaum on March 8 against Shafie based on a claim in a blog of Captain M The Great Soldier' dated on Jan 9, this year, that allegedly linked Shafie to the water supply project in Pulau Gaya."According to the blog, the project worth almost RM100 million was awarded to a company based in Penampang when Shafie was the former Rural and Regional Development Minister," he told reporters.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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