The Mecca Trip with Tajuddin Ramli’s Proxy: No Comment from the Attorney-General

No Comment from the Attorney -General on his relationship with Tajuddin Ramli’s Proxy

by Leven Woon Zheng Yang (December 1, 2010)

Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail has declined to give any comments to define his relationship or friendship with former Malaysia Airlines System chairperson Tajuddin Ramli’s proxy, Shahidan Shafie.

Similarly, Shahidan, a lawyer and former police officer, also refused to comment on the issue when contacted by Malaysiakini. Malaysiakini had asked Abdul Gani on whether he was together with Shahidan on their recent haj pilgrimage to Mecca, but the attorney-general said, “Later you will quote me of saying all this.”

When asked further, Gani replied, “No comment” on whether he wanted to deny the allegations.Yesterday, Social Care Foundation chairperson Robert Phang Miow Sin (left) wanted Abdul Gani to go on record to clear up several allegations made on the Malaysia Today website over the adverse public speculation on the AG’s relationship with Shahidan.

This follows an allegation that Abdul Gani had allegedly decided not to take action against Tajuddin, despite recommendations made by former Commercial Crime Investigation Director Dato’ Ramli Yusof.

The allegation that Abdul Gani and his family had shared a trip with Shahidan on the same package was another reason for alarm, resulting in Phang calling for answers.

Phang, who is also a member of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s consultative and advisory panel, said the MACC is entitled to investigate the AG if there was a directive to do so by the Prime Minister’s Department.

The Malaysia Today website had in September and November claimed it was Shahidan who had convinced Abdul Gani not to press charges against Tajuddin.

Tajuddin, who was MAS’ executive chairperson from 1994 to 2001, has been largely been blamed for the national carrier suffering losses amounting to more than RM8 billion, which is mainly due to the move to relocate MAS’ cargo operations from Amsterdam and Frankfurt to a single hub in Hahn, Germany.

MAS had also filed several reports against Tajuddin with the MACC, and the national airline and the government had also initiated a suit against the former MAS chairperson. The entrepreneur had also launched a counter-claim.

‘Allegedly Tajuddin’s frontman’

Shahidan, as alleged by Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin, fostered good ties with Abdul Gani during his days as a police officer in Johor Bahru.

Shahidan was allegedly Tajuddin’s frontman and played a major role in new business ventures after the latter quit his post as MAS chairmperson.

The Malaysia Today portal had published records and pictures of the pair’s trip to Mecca under one package. Besides Abdul Gani, his wife and son had allegedly travelled with him on the same package.

It is learnt the charge for the package is said to be RM60,000 per person, and with three persons going the bill would come to at least RM180,000. The Malaysia Today portal also alleges that Shahidan had footed the bill for Abdul Gani’s family.

Meanwhile, Phang said he will resort to “various methodologies” to continue seeking responses from both the AG and Shahidan. “If they still haven’t answered after one month, I will call for another press conference,” he said.—www.malaysiakini.com