UPDATE 3
By Neville Spykerman
SHAH ALAM, July 15 — Officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today raided the service centres of DAP lawmakers Ean Yong Hian Wah and Lau Weng San.
The officers were said to be looking for documents on how state allocations are being spent.
Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah said three MACC officers earlier went to his service centre at Sri Kembangan at about 12.30pm looking for documents.
“I told my assistants to inform them to come to my office at the state secretariat.”
Ean Yong added that one of his suppliers involved in his community programmes had also received a call to go to the MACC office to provide information, causing his other suppliers to worry they would also be hauled up by the MACC.
Later in the afternoon, five more MACC officers raided Ean Yong’s office at the state secretariat, while the Selangor lawmaker was attending debates at the State Assembly.
After being told by of their arrival by his political secretary, Teoh Beng Hock, Ean Yong immediately informed reporters present, who then followed him to his office.
The officers who were seen going through documents in Ean Yong’s office were shocked to see an entourage of over 20 reporters and photographers.
The DAP lawmaker demanded to see the officer in charge and was taken into his conference room by the officers. After a short discussion, all the MACC officers left his office empty handed.
Ean Yong said they were uncomfortable with the presence of the media.
“They never got my permission and just showed up,” said Ean Yong who added that he still did not know what the officers really wanted.
“They did indicate they would be speaking to my assistant and that I would be last one they interview.”
Teoh said the MACC officers told him they were investigating complaints about the failure of state allocations to reach the people.
He said only one of the MACC officers identified himself.
“They told him they did not need a warrant because Section 31 of the Anti-Corruption Act allows them to seize documents without one.”
The MACC officers, however, returned slightly more than an hour to seize a desktop and laptop computers along with documents, after the media had left.
Ean Yong’s political secretary Teoh Beng Hock has also been taken in for questioning.
Earlier in the afternoon, Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San also told reporters that six MACC officers were at his service centre.
Ean Yong said MACC should explain why only PR lawmakers were being probed and wondered if the agency was being pressured to do so by Barisan Nasional (BN).
He also asked if the MACC was investigating past BN state lawmakers who spent their annual allocation of RM500,000 in just two months prior to the March 2008 general election.
To date, MACC officers have visited the service centre of Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh as well as questioning people who have received contributions from State executive councillors Teresa Kok and Elizabeth Wong.
The MACC has also seized files related to allocations from the Petaling district office to facilitate investigations.
During a press conference at the state assembly today, Lau Weng San said the MACC officers who came to his Kampung Tunku service centre were interested in allocations he had channelled to several community programmes he had organised, including a lantern festival and religious celebration.
“They were also interested in the pictures that were taken during the events,” said Lau, who added that all claims made must be supported by photographs.
However, Lau’s pictures were in his computer at the state legislative assembly and the officers showed up there to view them.
Lau said copies of all the pictures were taken by the officers but they did not confiscate any other documents from him.
The officers said they did not know who lodged the complaint against the PR lawmaker but they were acting on orders from their superiors.
They also said the probe into the expenditure of allocations would be expanded to all PR lawmakers in the state.
Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong who was also at the press conference said PR welcomed any probe by the MACC and would gladly assist them in their investigations.
However, she said there should be no double standards in the way the law is enforced and the MACC should explained if they investigated how lawmakers managed to spend their annual allocation of RM500,000 in just two months, prior to March 8 General elections last year.
“We don’t hear any reports about the files of these BN lawmakers being seized,” Wong said.
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
