The Malaysian Insider

By Adib Zalkapli

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — Negri Sembilan Umno warlords are using allegations of an illegal money transfer to unseat the unpopular Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, whose aides denied the mentri besar is under central bank probe.

“We believe that there is no point letting the issue being exploited by the opposition, the leadership must take action, now we are just waiting for the president's return,” a Negri Sembilan division chief told The Malaysian Insider.

Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak is now attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Mohamad, who became mentri besar in 2004, is currently under Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) probe for allegedly transferring funds amounting to RM10 million to London through a money changer, Salamath Ali.

An aide to Mohamad said the BNM probe has nothing to do with his employer.

“The investigation is against the money changer and not against Datuk,” the aide told The Malaysian Insider.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Mohamad has privately blamed his staff for making him use the services of the money changer.

Pakatan Rakyat's Batu MP Chua Tian Chang revealed the matter after the central bank said Salamath Ali Money Changer had contravened Section 30 of the Money Changing Act 1998 and its licence had been revoked on Oct 26.

State Umno warlords are making their moves now to prevent the issue from being further exploited by the opposition.

“He is already not liked by 80 per cent of the Umno members here, so this case will not be ignored,” said the division chief.

The state Umno warlord pointed out that despite the blackout by the English and Bahasa Malaysia mainstream press, the issue has found its way to the party grassroots via text messages.

“Umno members in Jempol, Kuala Pilah, Rembau they don't access the Internet, so initially only civil servants talked about it, later people started sending SMS on 'kes duit haram MB',” he said.

Mohamad came under fire from Negri Sembilan opposition leader Loke Siew Fook during the state assembly sitting over the issue but the Rantau assemblyman kept mum and refused to give an explanation.

Opposition lawmakers have also called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct a probe into the scandal.

Mohamad had also refused to talk about the matter openly at a press conference early this month.

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