ACA urged to step up probe on dep minister
Malaysiakini
Nov 7, 2006
Andrew Ong

A businessman is wondering how long it will take for the Anti Corruption Agency to follow up on his report against the Deputy Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed.

Fruits exporters Mohd Tahir Fazal Mohd had lodged his report on Sept 23 and as of today he has not been interviewed by the ACA. He however has obtained an acknowledgment letter from ACA after four follow-up visits.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat today urged the ACA to expedite the matter and provide a written response over the status of the case.

“At least a full statement must be recorded (from the complainant),” said Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice president Sivarasa Rasiah Sivarasa at a press conference at PKR headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Sivarasara, a practising lawyer, said this was even more so when it involves a member of the executive branch of the government.

“If they fail to do so (public disclosure), it smells of a cover up,” he added.

He said that PKR will assist Mohd Tahir to take up the matter to the Prime Minister if ACA fails to provide a satisfactory response soon.

The crux of Mohd Tahir’s complaint against Mohd Zin is that the deputy minister had allegedly received illegal foreign funds up RM10 million since 2000 through Dhaka-based company Silkways Cargo.

Mohd Zin, the member of parliament for Sepang, co-owns the company with Bangladeshi partners.

When asked to substantiate this claim, Mohd Tahir said the relevant documents had been submitted to the ACA, while his lawyer Damiam Pheny claimed that a copy of the ledger was in his possession.

Probe abuse of power

Sivarasa added that while it was not an offence to own shares in a foreign company, the ACA must also probe if Mohd Zin had misused his position, then just a member of parliament, to influence the awarding of the contract between national carrier Malaysian Airlines (MAS) and Silkways Cargo in 2000.

Mohd Tahir explained that he was a relative of Mohd Zin and was involved in the Bangladeshi side of the deal, and is currently embroiled in a RM4 million civil suit, filed in 2004, against the deputy minister for breach of contract.

In 2003, Silkways Cargo was implicated in a scam for under-declaring the weight of its cargo aboard MAS flights, causing losses up to RM3.6 million in monies forgone over the period of two years. 

Mohd Zin however denied the allegations made and that he was never involved in the daily operations of the company.