LONE

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Not Me Lah

On 11th Jan, outgoing Sarawak ACA director said a federal deputy minister from Sarawak was being investigated by the agency after a report was lodged against him.

On 12th Jan, Deputy Rural and Regional Development MINIster, Dr Tiki Lafe, said in Putrajaya yesterday that he had not been approached by the ACA in connection with any investigation and he was not aware of any such investigation.

On 13th Jan, Opposition leader, Lim KS, calls on the other three Sarawak federal deputy ministers to take a leaf from Tiki and publicly exclude themselves from public speculation as being the subject of ACA investigation. Lim also added, "It would be better all round for public integrity that there is a proper identification of the deputy minister concerned than to let speculation to take wings and to put unfair pressure on the deputy ministers who are not implicated and their families."
Deputy Transport Minister, Douglas Uggah Embas told Malaysiakini in Kuching today that he had asked said ACA director who was being probed and the latter replied, "It's not you, Datuk." Said ACA director was also said to have told Douglas Uggah Embas that he made the statement after being 'cornered' by the press in Kuching.

On 14th Jan, Lim KS continues to speak on the same topic after 2 more Sarawak federal deputy ministers have denied that they were the deputy minister being investigated by the ACA. The Sun reported that two other Sarawak deputy ministers have denied that they are under ACA probe, namely Housing and Local Government deputy minister Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Joseph Entulu Belaun. Lim KS wonders whether Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, is the one under ACA investigation as he is the only one out of the five Sarawak Federal deputy ministers who had not issued a denial.
Malaysiakini reports that Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang is the last of the five deputy ministers from Sarawak to publicly deny any involvement in the reported probe by the Anti-Corruption Agency. He told Malaysikini, "I am not aware of any investigation by the ACA against me nor have I been approached by the agency."
So we are now back to square one all of the five deputy ministers have said, "Not Me Lah".
So it is up to the said ACA director to come clean and name the name and let the other 4 to get on with their lives and duties. For now another cloud is over their heads, all five of them. For if what the said ACA director said is true then one of the 5 deputy ministers is a liar.
Pak Lah could also come out to name the deputy minister concerned, as he must obviously be in the know, and clear the 4 out of the 5, all of whom have said, "Not Me Lah".

On 15th Jan, surprise of surprises, could we possibly see this being reported in the media ::

Said ACA director, who was quoted in Berita Harian on 12th Jan, as saying :: "A federal deputy minister from Sarawak is being investigated by ACA for malpractice", says, "Not Me Lah".

With all 6 saying the same "Not Me Lah". We can then finally conclude that "There Was No One Lah". And finally, finally the 5 deputy ministers and the said ACA Director [the new Selangor ACA chief now] and their families can continue with their lives and get on with their duties once again. Malaysia Boleh.

Update
On 15th Jan, it looks like the above scenario will not materialise. The state ACA director concerned, Mohd Jamidan Abdullah, when told that all the 5 Sarawak deputy federal ministers have said, "Not Me Lah", had this to say :: "They can say whatever they want but our investigations are continuing." And when pressed regarding when the probe would be completed, Jamidan said :: "I don't want to comment on that." There you have it folks, his lips are now sealed. So it is over to Pak Lah now, or will it also be "Mum's the word".

| ¶ 1/15/2005 12:04:00 AM

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