RM40 million - Team to bring files of 'transactional evidence' to HK

The PKR delegation which returned today from Hong Kong will travel back there in two weeks time and bring three to four files showing “transactional evidence” and dealings of alleged dirty money from the awarding of logging concessions by Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli, along with party treasurer and Selayang MP William Leong, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian and Teja assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang, also hope that by providing the new evidence, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will re-look into the matter and re-open the case.

Rafizi said PKR has been holding this evidence for quite some time, and had no chance to pass it to anyone as they do not know the actual outcome of the investigations from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and also ICAC.

“Now that we have ascertained that the Hong Kong authorities do not have this evidence, we will give it to them in two weeks. ICAC says they need the transactional evidence to help them in the investigations. Two weeks is needed as we need to compile and arrange them as there are three or four files to be sent,” said Rafizi.

“We did not bring them with us in this visit, as our initial mission was to hand over a memorandum to meet with the Security Panel of the Legislative Council and ICAC to re-look into the case. I cannot disclose what the documents are but it is transactional evidence which the Hong Kong ICAC says it needed and may not have, for them to re-look in the investigations,” he said.

He said part of the information came from people coming to his National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW) initiative, as they have no avenues to pass the vital information.

Rafizi said Hong Kong seriously views issues of corruption and money-laundering cases as it wants to maintain its integrity as a reputable international financial institution.

The meeting with ICAC was covered by the local mainstream media, along with international news organisations like Reuters, Bloomberg and Channel News Asia.

Meeting with members of the Security Panel

Leong said while there, they met with three members of the Security Panel of the Legislative Council, who are like member of parliaments or legislators, where ICAC comes under their purview.

“The three - James To, who is the vice-chairperson of the panel along with members Leung Kwok Hung and Raymond Wong - helped arranged a meeting with ICAC’s acting chief investigator Martin Chan Chee Hwa.

“We have been reminded that in the course of the investigation, we cannot reveal the names or evidence so as that their investigations would not be affected. They will refer back the investigations and we will cooperate with them so there will be justice in Hong Kong and Malaysia,” he said.

Chan said the trip was fruitful as they managed to get To to support and accompany the Malaysian delegation to meet with the ICAC officials.

“To said that it is everyone’s responsibility to help solve money-laundering cases in Hong Kong. He has confidence in what we bring and wants ample evidence and for ICAC to re-look into the matter and for the territory not to become a paradise for money-laundering,” he said.

“He supported us to bring new evidence to be handed over to ICAC and we will do so in two weeks,” he said.

Rafizi added that with the fruitful meeting, they have also receive assurances from To that the Security Panel will follow-up with ICAC on the evidence which we will provide so that there will be continuity.

Hopefully the issue, he said, will not fall flat and they will get to the bottom of the matter.

“We welcome the response from Hong Kong chief prosecutor Kevin Zervos on re-opening the case if there are new evidence. With our meeting and contacts with To, we hope that there will be follow-up to the issue and the issue will not die down,” he said.

“They have assured that the development of the case would be one of the agenda items in the Security Panel discussion when they meet with ICAC.”

It was reported on Tuesday that Zervos had been quoted by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) as saying that Hong Kong had “insufficient evidence” at the time to “take the case further” and that they had closed the case as information coming from Malaysia shows that it was political donations.

Hafiz Yatim