Switzerland's investigation into Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's assets is an 'embarassing slur' against the country and one which the Prime Minister cannot afford to ignore.
KUCHING: Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat parties have called on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to immediately ‘do the right thing’ in view of the ‘embarassing slur on Malaysia’ as a result of Switzerland’s move to investigate Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s assets.
“In light of this international investigation, an implicit request by the Swiss authorities to freeze Taib’s assets is an appallingly embarrassing slur on our country Malaysia.
“Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing or will he continue to fail to act?” asked Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian.
Bian pointed out that the “onus is on Najib to redeem Malaysia’s tarnished image abroad”.
“I reiterate that the silence on the part of Taib and MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) has ceased to be an option as Malaysia’s reputation is now in question and heavily at stake.
“The public demands answers and they demand them now. More so, we the people of Sarawak,” Bian added.
Bian was commenting on Swiss Federation president Micheline Calmy-Rey’s statement which was widely reported recently.
Calmy-Rey said Switzerland was aware of the serious concerns raised internationally about Tab’s alleged profiteering from timber corruption and was unhappy that such assets may have been invested in Switzerland.
MACC’s credibility
Calmy-Rey has forwarded the information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.
“For the president of a foreign country to acknowledge that her government has begun investigation into Taib’s assets is indeed an indictment on the credibility of the Chief Minister,” said Bian.
“It is also, no less, a huge blot that dents Malaysia’s image internationally which Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor have been desperately trying to advance over the last year with their unending international public relations exercises and tours to curry global favour.
“For months now the Chief Minister has stubbornly refused to respond to the numerous reports on the whistle-blower website Sarawak Report alleging his corruption.
“The MACC, despite receiving a profusion of reports from the public and NGOs, has not been able to give us a clear answer on what it is doing about such reports,” he said.
Bian, who is the state assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan, said Taib must respond to these reports publicly.
“The MACC must also stop hedging before it loses all credibility with the public.
“The Prime Minister cannot anymore ignore the elephant in the room,” he said.
Taib must explain
Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP has demanded that Taib issue a ‘ministerial’ statement with regard to the allegations made against him by the Swiss authorities.
They said Taib can either explain through the newspapers or through the state assembly which will meet this June.
“These allegations by foreign authorities are very serious indeed putting Sarawak in a bad light that the chief minister is involved in corruption.
“Taib must make a stand and issue a ministerial statement either through the media or through the state assembly that will meet this June,” said Chong Chieng Jen, the state DAP secretary.
Chong, who is the state assemblyman for Kota Sentosa, said that he will raise the issue in the coming meeting of the state assembly.
“We demand Taib to answer the allegations,” he added.
State BN leaders, when contacted, refused to comment on the allegations.
KUCHING: Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat parties have called on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to immediately ‘do the right thing’ in view of the ‘embarassing slur on Malaysia’ as a result of Switzerland’s move to investigate Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s assets.“In light of this international investigation, an implicit request by the Swiss authorities to freeze Taib’s assets is an appallingly embarrassing slur on our country Malaysia.
“Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing or will he continue to fail to act?” asked Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian.
Bian pointed out that the “onus is on Najib to redeem Malaysia’s tarnished image abroad”.
“I reiterate that the silence on the part of Taib and MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) has ceased to be an option as Malaysia’s reputation is now in question and heavily at stake.
“The public demands answers and they demand them now. More so, we the people of Sarawak,” Bian added.
Bian was commenting on Swiss Federation president Micheline Calmy-Rey’s statement which was widely reported recently.
Calmy-Rey said Switzerland was aware of the serious concerns raised internationally about Tab’s alleged profiteering from timber corruption and was unhappy that such assets may have been invested in Switzerland.
MACC’s credibility
Calmy-Rey has forwarded the information about Taib’s assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body FINMA (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation.
“For the president of a foreign country to acknowledge that her government has begun investigation into Taib’s assets is indeed an indictment on the credibility of the Chief Minister,” said Bian.
“It is also, no less, a huge blot that dents Malaysia’s image internationally which Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor have been desperately trying to advance over the last year with their unending international public relations exercises and tours to curry global favour.
“For months now the Chief Minister has stubbornly refused to respond to the numerous reports on the whistle-blower website Sarawak Report alleging his corruption.
“The MACC, despite receiving a profusion of reports from the public and NGOs, has not been able to give us a clear answer on what it is doing about such reports,” he said.
Bian, who is the state assemblyman for Ba’Kelalan, said Taib must respond to these reports publicly.
“The MACC must also stop hedging before it loses all credibility with the public.
“The Prime Minister cannot anymore ignore the elephant in the room,” he said.
Taib must explain
Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP has demanded that Taib issue a ‘ministerial’ statement with regard to the allegations made against him by the Swiss authorities.
They said Taib can either explain through the newspapers or through the state assembly which will meet this June.
“These allegations by foreign authorities are very serious indeed putting Sarawak in a bad light that the chief minister is involved in corruption.
“Taib must make a stand and issue a ministerial statement either through the media or through the state assembly that will meet this June,” said Chong Chieng Jen, the state DAP secretary.
Chong, who is the state assemblyman for Kota Sentosa, said that he will raise the issue in the coming meeting of the state assembly.
“We demand Taib to answer the allegations,” he added.
State BN leaders, when contacted, refused to comment on the allegations.
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