Jasin MP: ‘An opportunity’ to state my case 
May 13, 2006 
malaysiakini.com

Jasin parliamentarian Mohd Said Yusof said he would ‘use the opportunity’ when meeting Barisan Nasional leaders to tell his side of the story.

Mohd Said said he has yet to be called to appear before Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy, party whip Najib Abdul Razak, over allegations that he had intervened to seek leniency over a consignment of imported timber.

“I will give my full cooperation and use the opportunity to state my case,” said Mohd Said in a Bernama report.

He added that he had already given his side of the story to Umno vice-president, Malacca Chief Minister Mohamed Ali Rustam.

“So far, the prime minister has not called me. I will wait for the letter or phone call,” said Mohd Said.

Although Mohd Said he had apologised for the incident during a brief meeting Tuesday with Abdullah, the premier said on Thursday that Mohd Said would have to appear before a special meeting to be attended by him and Najib.

Abdullah said that he and Najib had agreed that Mohd Said be given the opportunity to "tell his side of the story".

ACA yet to see MP 

Mohd Said also said he would give his full cooperation to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigation into the case.

“ACA has yet to see me but I know that their officers have visited Sungai Rambai and Kuala Linggi jetties,” said Mohd Said in reference to the jetties in which his forwarding and shipping company, Binyu Sof Enterprise, operates.

The MP has been embroiled in a controversy surrounding a report that he had sought leniency from the Malacca Customs Department after its officials seized a consignment of Indonesian timber that did not comply with specifications for imported timber.

Mohd Said earlier claimed he was merely trying to help ‘a bumiputera company,’ but later later admitted that the Binyu Sof Enterpirse, the forwarding agent for the seized consignment, was his.

On a report that Purnama Mutiara Sdn Bhd, in which he is a director, was fined for trying to smuggle VCDs to Indonesia seven years ago, Mohd Said said Purnama did not own the VCDs but merely acted as a forwarding agent for another company.