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Perak Govt Wants Apology From ACA Within 24 Hours |
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Posted by admin
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Saturday, 23 August 2008 00:27 |
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(Bernama) -- The Perak state government Friday gave the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and all print and electronic media 24 hours to make a public apology following the publication of the report which tarnished the image of two of its Executive Council members.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin told reporters at a joint press conference after chairing the weekly State Exco meeting, here that the state government would take legal action by seeking compensation from the parties involved for having published the report which had tarnished the image of the two Executive Councillors. Also present at the press conference were Senior State Executive Councillor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, who is also the Chairman of the Infrastructure, Public Utility, Energy, Water and Non-Muslim Affairs; Chairman of the Education, Local Government and Housing Committee Nga Kor Ming; and the two Executive Councillors concerned.
Meanwhile, Ngeh said that in a statement to the media the ACA had said that one of the Exco members who were detained was involved in corrupt practices involving RM100,000 for a housing project worth RM180 million in Seri Iskandar, near here, as well as sexual favours.
In addition, Mohammad Nizar said there was no need to suspend both the Perak Exco members who were released from detention to assist in the investigation on the corruption case.
The Menteri Besar said the suspension of the two Executive Councillors was not necesasary because the allegation that they were involved in the case concerned was not proven.
"We will let the legal process proceed according to the provision stipulated. We will not obstruct the legal process," he said.
He said there was no regulation in the government service that stipulated that those detained with regard to a particular case should be suspended from duty.
Mohammad Nizar said the state government administration was not affected by the detention of the two Exco members concerned. In fact, they continued to discharge their responsibilities and attended the weekly State Exco meeting at 10am Friday after being released.
"We continue to carry out our work according to the mandate given by the people of Perak to administer (the state) and we wish to state that the state government will definitely fight against any elements of corruption and whatever form of power abuse," he said.
On Thursday, the High Court here released a member of the Perak State Executive Council and four others who were remanded by the ACA while another State Executive Councillor who was also remanded by the ACA was released Friday.
The ACA had detained six men comprising two State Exco members, two businessmen, a member of the Perak Tengah District Council and a technician with the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP), aged between 30 and 57, with regard to the case. Investigation on the case also involved sexual favours.
Meanwhile, the two State Executive Councillors who were detained had asked the ACA and the media to apologise openly to them for carrying the slanderous report which was not substantiated.
If the apology was not made within 24 hours, they would file a RM100 million suit against the parties concerned.
The Chairman of the State Committee on Tourism, Human Development and Non-Governmental Organisations, Capt (Rtd) Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, 57, who was released Thursday, said the news of his detention carried by the media had brought shame to his wife, children, mother and all his relatives in this country and in Singapore.
"All this is not true and I consider the allegation as unfounded besides being a conspiracy to tarnish my image and that of the state government in the wake of the by-election in Permatang Pauh, Penang," he told reporters here.
The Chairman of the State Committee on Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, 52, said he would also file a similar suit against the ACA and the media for the slanderous report on his detention unless an open apology was made within the next 24 hours.
He said the photograph published on the front page of almost all the mainstream newspapers portrayed as though he and Mohd Osman were guilty whereas investigation into the case had just been initiated.
-- BERNAMA
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