Harris admits PBS recalled YS share certs

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) said former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh finally admitted that it was Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) government who had recalled the Yayasan Sabah share certificate.

SAPP Treasurer General Dullie Marie said Harris had clearly admitted it during the latter's press conference, which was published in local dailies on Nov 16.

"In his first statement published on November 12, Harris claimed that SAPP President Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee as Chief Minister between May 28, 1996 and May 27, 1998 withdrew the Yayasan Sabah share certificates in 1996.

"When pointed out to Harris that his own book published in 1996 had stated (three times in the book) that it was the 1990 PBS era (not Yong as CM in the BN era) that withdrew the YS shares certificate, he even denied that the 1996 book was his. He even said that "even a blind man can see that it was a government publication". But now he admitted that the book was his," Dullie added.

Dullie further said that Harris went on accusing Yong of a "mistake" in NBT shares causing Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) to lose RM 300 million.

"Harris even said that, if in China, it is a shooting case. When Yong offered to shoot himself if Harris's accusation is true, Harris quickly abandoned the SAS issue and repeated his earlier mistake that the 1996 ARNS issue was actually the 1990 YS shares certificates issue," Dullie said.

He said Harris is in no position to speak for the PBS Chief Minister in 1990 or the current CM on either the Yayasan Sabah shares certificate issues or the Amanah Rakyat Negeri Sabah (ARNS) issue.

"If Harris is so convinced about having Yayasan Sabah shares certificates or the new ARNS certificates, there is nothing to stop this government from issuing YS shares or ARNS certificates, whatever you call it," Dullie added.

He said, for the record, Yong did not comment on the records of our early leaders, irrespective of their educational backgrounds. The comments on early leaders were made by Prof. Danny Wong and local columnist Tan Sri Herman Luping, which were published in local dailies.

Dullie added that all Yong wanted was to correct another lie being spread about him.

"Yong's offer to shoot himself was a direct response to Harris's false accusation that the so-called SAS RM 300 million losses debacle was caused by the so-called NBT/Warisan Harta share swap. It had nothing to do with Yayasan Sabah. But if Harris really wants leaders to shoot themselves or commit harakiri, then he does not have to look far around him," he said.

He said after the idea "shooting oneself" came out, many people are now saying that the culprits who caused the issuance of hundreds of thousands of dubious documents to illegal immigrants should be shot instead.