Hopefully the balloon will stay up
The Swiss bank UBS, at the center of allegations of money laundering by Sabah’s chief minister Musa Aman, said it couldn’t comment on the claims although a spokesman for the bank said UBS is fully committed to assisting in the fight against money laundering.
“UBS does not comment on market speculation or rumor,” Mark Panday, a spokesman for the bank’s operations in Hong Kong, told Asia Sentinel. “However, in all markets in which it operates, UBS’s policy is to cooperate fully with regulators. Indeed, it is committed to assisting in the fight against money-laundering, including corruption and terrorist financing.”
The Sarawak Report, an NGO based in Kuching and London, alleged in a report made public Sunday that more than US$90 million was passed circuitously in 2007 by Sabah lawyer Richard Christopher Barnes from Musa into Barnes’ UBS Hong Kong account before it was forwarded in turn to a UBS Zurich account in the chief minister's own name.
The money transfers allegedly were shepherded by a UBS client manager named Denis Chua, who originally worked at the Singapore branch for HSBC Hong Kong until 2006. According to the report, Chua moved to UBS, taking the accounts with him.
The Sarawak Report said Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption discovered the transactions in an investigation into alleged money-laundering by a Musa associate, Michael Chia Tien Foh, and compiled a detailed list of the transactions between Barnes, Chia and the UBS accounts.
Denis Chua is believed to have left UBS. A call to the UBS Hong Kong office elicited no response. Panday declined any further comment on the matter.
Hong Kong’s money-laundering law, which appears to be focused mainly on drug trafficking, nonetheless make it an offense for bankers, lawyers or accountants to deal with property they know or have reasonable grounds to believe represents the proceeds of drug trafficking or other serious crimes. Offenders are subject to a maximum of 14 years in prison. Records must be kept on any transaction over HK$8,000, the rough equivalent of US$1,000.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s voluminous guidelines put the onus on banks and other financial institutions and their professional employees to ensure that companies follow legal guidelines on deposits. As required by the guidelines, banks make it a common practice to subject all employees dealing with the transfer of funds to regular, detailed briefings on money-laundering statutes and the penalties involved.
The need to guard against money laundering received new impetus in 2004 when the Hong Kong Monetary Authority urged banks to be especially alert to the possibility of money laundering as the territory prepared to become an outlet for yuan-denominated deposits. In June of that year, the HKMA issued a supplement to the territory's anti-money laundering guidelines, setting out "Know-Your-Customer" principles, taking account of the requirements of a paper on "Customer Due Diligence for Banks" issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
However, it is believed that despite the voluminous allegations and documents presented by Sarawak Report into Denis Chua’s activities, no further investigation into the bank’s activities will be carried out in Hong Kong.
The files and documents amassed by Sarawak Report, which can be found here, are regarded by authorities to be genuine although Cecily Chik, senior press information officer at the ICAC in Hong Kong, simply said "We would not comment on questions on operational matters." According to Sarawak Report, the documents were forwarded by the ICAC to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, known as the MACC.
The NGO alleged that Abdul Gani Patail, the Malaysia Attorney General, blocked an investigation into the case, in which tens of millions of dollars were routed from Sabah into the Hong Kong bank account and further funneled into a UBS account in Zurich, Switzerland, which was held in Musa’s name. Although Sarawak Report alleged that Gani blocked the probe because of a personal relationship with Musa, others say there was no personal relationship. Apparently frustrated MACC officials passed the file to the NGO.
In any case, the Sarawak Report alleged that the money in the Hong Kong accounts was ordered frozen when ICAC investigators moved in, but when the three-year statute of limitations lapsed in Malaysia, the funds are believed to have been passed on to the Zurich account and to Musa. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority guidelines, however, established a six-year statute of limitations.
“Those involved blame Malaysia’s refusal to sign a cooperation agreement on the investigation for the collapse of the case and the subsequent release of all the money back to Musa and his collaborators,” Sarawak Report alleged.
A May 25, 2007 letter obtained by the ICAC stated that the UBS account no. 231117 should “hold [the money] on trust for Aman,” the NGO said. Investigators noted that on May 31 2008 the account contained US$29.6 million. The NGO alleged that Musa was paid the money for illegal timber sales.
A flow chart said to have been created by the ICAC in Hong Kong shows money coming in from certain companies into accounts managed by Michael Chia and his nominees in Hong Kong, then being passed to a number of British Virgin Island companies including CTF International, Zenique Investment and Blisstop Corp. then back to the UBS Hong Kong account managed by Barnes.
The chart demonstrates that the accumulated money was then passed from Barnes into UBS Account No. 230-75069201 in Zurich in the name of Musa Aman.
Investigators noted that on 31st May 2008 the Barnes accounts contained US$29.6 million for account 231117, US$37 million for account 280777 and SG$9.5 million for account 280666. The Hong Kong Account 231117, which had been in existence since 2006, received a US$22.4 million injection of money from another Barnes account, between April 28th and May 31st.
According to the report, much of the money coming into the Chia accounts was linked to Sabah timber traders connected to listed companies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, with Musa directly authorizing the concessions. Some of the transactions obtained by Sarawak Report name the reason for telegraphic transfers “Deposit For Concession.”
In return, loggers are said to have illegally denuded two large areas of forest supposedly protected by a Heart of Borneo Treaty between the Sabah government and the World Wildlife Fund -- before Musa signed the Heart of Borneo Treaty with the WWF.
64 comments:
Hopefully the UBS can give their fully cooperation regarding this scandal.
Is it so easy to leak documents from the MACC? If so, then the documents too will easily get manipulated or modified.
Kenapa Musa Aman menjadi "pilihan" Sarawak Report? Kenapa bukan Taib atau pemimpin lain? Tidak mustahil jika ada dalang di sebalik penyebaran fitnah ini.
Tuduhan awal dibuat ke atas Anifah tetapi setelah beliau menafikan tentang siasatan SPRM, perhatian dialihkan kepada Musa dan cerita lama diungkit. Nampak sangat situasi ini sudah dirancang, lebih-lebih lagi bila PRU13 semakin dekat.
Jika ketelusan AG diragui, gantikan dengan yang lain. Lihat sama ada siasatan kes ini boleh diteruskan dan sekaligus dibawa ke mahkamah. Selagi bukti tidak cukup, tiada apa yang boleh dibuat.
Bukan semua yang dilaporkan di media atau blog adalah benar 100%. Kita perlu rasional dalam menilai kebenaran sesuatu perkara dna bukannya ikut emosi semata-mata.
selagi hal ini belum dibuktikan, tak perlu kita nak percaya.
hanya laporan dari SPRM sahaja yang boleh dipercayai, selain itu tidak boleh pakai terutama dari Sarawak report.
pasti ada usaha pihak tertentu untuk menjatuhkan Musa Aman.
Rakyat harus bijak membuat penilaian dan jangan terlalu sepat membuat kesimpulan hanya berdasarkan artikel ini saja.
Tahu sajalah politik, ada saja isu yang pembangkang nak timbulkan utk jatuhkan kerajaan.
Harap takdalah mana-mana pihak yang terpedaya dengan taktik kotor ni.
Isu ini kalau betul memang bikin panas. Tapi janganlah terlalu ikut emosi ya.
Kita kenalah menilai sesuatu hal secara matang dan bukannya ikut perasaan.
kalau bukan Anifah, abangnya... Hairan juga isu ni macam sengaja ditujukan untuk keluarga Aman.
Hal ini nampak macam ada yang tak beres. Bukan saja bukti yang diperolehi boleh dipertikaikan tapi tindakan Sarawak Report highlight nama Musa ni macam ada yang tak kena.
Takkanlah MACC telampau cuai nak bocorkan rahsia besar sebegini???
The bank has the right to protect the confidentiality of the customer so is not willing to commend on the allegation.
Tunggulah laporan SPRM dulu. Kalau benda ni berasa pasti ia akan diberi perhatian.
Isu ni memang isu kitar semula. Macam tidak ada isu lain untuk mengenakan Musa.
Tapi kalau nak juga, then what to do la. Susah juga kalau terlalu cemburu dengan kejayaan Musa. hehe
Kalau UBS perlu campur tangan, then buatlah apa yang patut. Jangan kamurang lagi kena tuduh bersubahat dengan Musa.
Macam mana mahu siasat kalau tuduhan pun tak berasas??? Dokumen tu kononya bocor dari MACC tapi boleh percaya kah?
Harap takdalah rakyat yang membenci Musa atau percaya dengan tuduhan ni.
It's all so easy for Sarawak Report to get confidential information, not only from the MACC but also the highly respected ICAC of Hong Kong.
maybe, the ICAC should clear the air whether it is their practice to release in-house confidential to the public of cases where no charges have been brought against those suspected to be involved in a crime.
the main objective of Sarawak Report was to topple Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud from power in the 2011 State Elections which they failed miserably. Taib still managed to retain two-thirds majority and proved wrong the doomsayers who predicted his imminent defeat.
frustrated with their failure in Sarawak they are now turning to other states in Malaysia to do the opposition's bidding.
I am not sure about MACC but I don't think the highly respected ICAC would release such information for public consumption when no charges are forthcoming against the named person, let alone dispensing it to an anonymous political blog like Sarawak Report, founded and controlled by a frustrated Briton, one Clare Brown who has no business poking her nose into Malaysian politics..
isu ini dimainkan tanpa ada fakta yang kukuh, jadi ini cuma dianggap sebagai khabar angin sajalah.
walau pun pelbagai isu dimainkan, namun, rakyat pasti dapat lihat sendiri pembangunan semakin giat dilaksanakan di Sabah.
tuduhan ini mungkin berkepentingan politik oleh pihak tertentu.
melaui pelbagai projek seperti SAMUR di Sipitang ekonomi Sabah dijangkan akan terus berkembang.
semoga Sabah akan terus maju ke depan dan terus membangun.
Pedulikanlah tuduhan ni. Buang masa saja!
Saya setuju dengan noi. Saya yakin rakyat nampak juga pembangunan yang dilakukan.
Betulkah cerita ni... Macam ada yang nda kena ja ni???
Ini mesti kerja pihak2 yang jealous dengan Musa dan mahu rebut kerusinya.. aikss, hairan betul.
Harap rakyat membuat penilaian yang bijak. Biasalah sekarang ni dekat PRU dah, jadi tak hairan kalau banyak yang sengaja timbulkan isu...
UBS ada polisi mereka sendiri...mereka akan memberikan kerjasama penuh namun sarawak report bukanlah agensi yang mempunyai kuasa untuk mengakses maklumat pelanggan syarikat..
UBS juga tidak akan melayan sebarang khabar angin / spekulasi yang disebarkan dalam pasaran...
apa yang dilaporkan hanyalah khabar angin semata-mata..ianya dilakukan disebabkan pru13 yang makin hampir..
sehingga kini, tiada pengesahan daripada MACC atau ICAC mengenai maklumat yang didedahkan oleh sarawak report...jadi ada kemungkinan apa yang didedahkan oleh sarawak report adalah rekaan semata-mata untuk menjatuhkan musa aman dan memburukkan BN..
mungkin ini hanya mainan politik pihak2 yang terdesak...
I don't think MACC or even ICAC would leak their information to sarawak report.
So far there is no response from MACC and ICAC. SO for now its best not to believe entirely to whatever been published in sarawak report .
UBF tidak akan mengeluarkan apapa kenyataan mengenai kes ini, jika mereka tidak mampu menjaga rahsia pelanggan mereka, siapa lagi yang akan menggunakan perkhidmatan pada masa depan?
Sampai sekarang kita masih belum tahu macam mana Sarawak Report mendapat 'bukti' bahawa KM Sabah terlibat dalam isu yang dibangkitkan itu. Tidak mungkin HSBC akan mendedahkan aktiviti pelanggan mereka kepada mana-mana pihak.
All the allegation was opposition political gimmick to fell down CM Datuk Musa Aman.
UBS?Why UBS?
Allegation is so damn serious.
Isu ini masih hangat diperdebatkan. Tak penat ke.
Think for this issues. I thought nothing evidence and truth fact that corruption. So why need we believing it if we don't see with our self the fact. If media picture fact I guess is still not the strong fact because can edit the picture. So please think carefully.
Datuk Musa linked to corruption. I'm not sure why, but for my own opinion this is probably the only certain strategy to topple Datuk Musa Aman. Because we know Datuk Musa is clean with all the personal problems.
why corruption is linked with Datuk. Because this issue is easily created by their selfishness. But it will not undermine the people's support to him. Previously been linked to corruption issues. But until now the people of Sabah themselves do give support to him.
Sabah now is better than before. We can see with our self about this fact. This a fact right compared with what the opposition statement just rumors and defamation. We don't need listen with what the opposition say.
What the opposition say is just to attract people to support them. So please think the best for our future. Why we need change out govt, if we look the current govt still relevant and can solve any problem related.
What should we know is that opposition will do anything for ensure that they can take over the govt. So defamation, rumors, lie and else is the opposition strategy. So be careful with this trick.
Mainan Pembangkang sebenarnya semua ini. Faham-fahamlah sekarang usaha bagi menjatuhkan seseorang dengan cara yang tidak baik. Saya tidak pasti kenapa tapi bagi pendapat saya sendiri ini adalah mungkin hanya strategi pihak tertentu untuk menjatuhkan Datuk Musa Aman. Datuk Musa dikaitkan dengan RASUAH
Datuk Musa adalah bersih dengan segala masalah peribadi. Sebab itu isu rasuah dikaitkan dengan Datuk. Kerana isu ini senang direka-reka oleh mereka yang pentingkan diri sendiri. Namun rasanya perkara ini tidak akan menggugat sokongan rakyat kepada beliau. Sebelum ini pun pelbagai isu rasuah dikaitkan. Namun sehingga sekarang penduduk Sabah sendiri tetap memberikan sokongan kepada beliau. Ini bermakna isu rasuah yang dikaitkan dengan beliau tidak ada kesan dan menggugat sokongan penduduk Sabah.
Kalau setakat media punya itu mungkin boleh kena edit. Jadi susah juga mahu percaya. Buat apa kita percaya dengan berita ini jika tidak ada bukti yang dibawa ke mahkamah. Sedangkan Media tidak ada mengadili seseorang itu. Ini kerana semua itu terletak ditangan mahkamah untuk membuat keputusan. Media hanya tahu memberikan berita sama ada yang buruk, yang tidak benar dan tanpa ada bukti yang benar. Itulah yang sebenarnya berlaku dengan media pembangkang sekarang yang hanya suka memberikan pelbagai isu negatif yang berkaitan dengan kerajaan.
Tambahan lagi beliau yang terbaik dan mendapat sokongan daripada penduduk Sabah. Sebab itu ada pihak yang tidak senang akan semua ini dan mencari langkah untuk menjatuhkan beliau.
kes Michael Chia yang ditahan di Hongkong mengenai wang haram itu tidak ada kena mengena dengan Pemimpin Sabah yang lain. Ini kerana tidak ada bukti yang mengatakan pemimpin Sabah terlibat. Cuma Michael Chia saja yang cuba mengaitkan pemimpin Sabah dalam hal ini. Maka kita tidak boleh percaya dengan cara sebegini. Setakat mana kebenarannya?? Mengenai rasuah pembalakan ini cuma mainan politik sebenarnya. Kalau benar ada biarkan SPRM melaksanakan tugas sebagai pihak bertanggungjawab.
Kita sendiri sedar yang mana antara pencegah rasuah didunia ICAC adalah pencegah rasuah yang sangat tegas, tidak ada belas kasihan dan teliti dengan kes sebegini. Maka kalau benar Datuk Musa terbabit dengan kes RM40juta wang haram itu sudah lama Datuk Musa dibawa ke mahkamah kerana bagi ICAC tidak ada yang terkecuali.
Saya rasa tidak mungkin UBS akan mendedahkan maklumat pelanggan mereka sesuka hati, macam mana pelanggan mereka boleh meletakkan keyakinan terhadap pihak UBS jika mereka tidak mampu melindungi hak privasi mereka.
Semoga pihak SPRM akan membuat penyiasatan mengenai isu ini terlebih dahulu, jika meraka mendapat bukti yang kukuh barulah boleh mengambil tindakan.
Terpulanglah kepada rakyat sendiri sama ada percaya ataupun tidak isu tuduhan rasuah ini.
Mereka yang percaya dengan Musa Aman tetap akan menyokong beliau tidak kira apa jua tuduhan. Mereka yang tidak percaya akan terus kritik tidak kira bagaimana penjelasan dibuat.
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