> AG abused power?
A high-level investigation has ‘confirmed’ that current attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail had abused his power to fabricate evidence in Anwar Ibrahim’s trials 10 years ago, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
The claim was made by veteran politician Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) while debating the Budget 2009 this morning.
Quoting unnamed sources, Lim told the House that he understands that solicitor-general Idrus Harun had carried out an investigation into the claims in July.
“I have come to know the solicitor-general has concluded that the AG had indeed abused his power to fabricate evidence against the Permatang Pauh MP (Anwar) and I am asking him to resign immediately now,” said Lim.
“How can we allow a criminal to serve as AG? What is happening to Malaysia?”
The allegation that Abdul Gani and inspector-general of police Musa Hassan had fabricated evidence in Opposition Leader Anwar’s trials 10 years ago resurfaced last week in a retired cop’s court documents.
Mat Zain Ibrahim, who had led the probe in the infamous ‘black eye incident’ involving Anwar in 1998, implied in the documents that Abdul Gani had delayed the investigation process and concealed important facts in the case from then AG, the late Mohtar Abdullah.
Abdul Gani was a senior deputy public prosecutor at the time.
Anwar had made a similar claim against Abdul Gani and Musa in a police report in July, but the duo have denied the allegation.
The police chief has since filed a defamation suit against Anwar while Abdul Gani has threatened to do so as well.
Lim later told reporters in the Parliament lobby that the probe had been launched after Anwar filed the report.
The DAP stalwart was involved this morning in a fiery exchange with government backbenchers trading barbs likening one another to orang utan.
Nazri: Not true at all
In a press conference held later this evening, de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz denied Lim's claims, stating that an investigation on the matter was still underway.
He added that it was the Anti-Corruption Agency and not the solicitor general who was probing the matter.
"I would like to categorically deny the truth of his statement because the agency responsible to do the investigation is the ACA. It's not true that the solicitor-general has investigated (the claim)," he told reporters at his office.
The minister explained that it was improper and there will be a conflict of interest if the solicitor-general was tasked to investigate the matter since Abdul Gani was Idrus' immediate superior.
Nazri also said that he has contacted the ACA which confirmed the matter was still under investigation.
"I have contacted the ACA. They have informed me that the investigation is still ongoing, (the case) is not closed," stressed the minister, adding that he had no idea as to when the probe would be completed.
Nazri said he did not contact the solicitor-general as he did not see the need as the latter was not responsible for the investigation.
"I will assure you there is no bias in this case," said Nazri
The ACA was tasked to investigate Anwar's complaint after the prime minister assured that Abdul Gani and Musa would not be involved in the investigation to avoid conflict of interest.
The ACA later has also said they have the power to prosecute in this case.
‘Orang utan’ vs ‘babi hutan’
Earlier, the DAP stalwart had been involved in a fiery exchange with government backbenchers, trading barbs likening one another to orang utan and babi hutan (wild boar).
It began with Lim referring to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the nation’s shortest-serving premier due to pressure on him to step down.
This sparked a shouting match when Bung Moktar Radin interjected and branded Lim as a “coward”.
Lim retorted by calling Bung Moktar “orang utan”.
“He is among the people who ran away to Taiwan on a study tour and this is not a sanctuary for orang utan,” said the Ipoh Timor MP.
“This is babi hutan,” the Kinabatangan MP shot back.
Continuing his debate, Lim also hit out at Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Court of Appeal president Zaki Azmi and police chief Musa.
He said Abdullah was not fit to be honoured as ‘Father of democracy’ by BN component party Gerakan at its annual national congress last weekend.
“I can’t believe how he can be called the ‘Father of democracy’ when the Internal Security Act was used against the Seputeh MP
Teresa Kok, a journalist, blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, the Hindraf leaders and many others who have been held for more than six years.
On top of that, newspapers also received show-cause letters. For five years he has failed to reform, how can he do it in six months? Nobody can believe it.”
Moving on to Najib, the Ipoh Timor MP said the former has been implicated in a series of scandals ranging from the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case to questionable defence deals.
“Although the prime minister has said he fully backs the premier-in-waiting, it doesn’t solve the crisis of confidence that he (Najib) is facing,” said Lim.
Quadruple jump for judge?
On another matter, he expressed hope that Court of Appeal president Zaki Azmi, the judiciary’s No 2, will not be promoted to chief justice when Abdul Hamid Mohamad retires this month.
“We still remember the triple jump of Zaki last year (from federal court judge to Court of Appeal president), are we going to see a quadruple jump (to chief justice) for him now?
“If that is the case, he will be the first Umno chief justice. Not only will we be unable to resolve the judicial crisis, but we will move into a darker episode of the judicial crisis.”
On Musa, Lim questioned why he has been seen as a “lobbyist” for a RM20 billion contract to rent 34 helicopters from Asiacopter Sdn Bhd for 30 years, and a RM4.2 billion deal for a wireless digital communication network for the police force.
On the RM20 billion helicopter deal, the opposition politician alleged Musa had written a letter to the Finance Ministry seeking approval for direct negotiation instead of going through the normal tender process - Malaysiakini.
