PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli wants the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to reopen the case on Michael Chia, who was caught at the Hong Kong International Airport with Singapore currency worth RM40 million in his luggage in 2008.

Chia was investigated with money laundering and trafficking by the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) which reportedly found that the money was earmarked for Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

This follows Chia's conviction by the Sandakan Sessions Court yesterday, of cheating businessman Agus Hassan that the RM2.5 million that the latter paid to obtain logging concessions, was to be given to Umno as a political donation.

 

Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP, welcomed Chia's conviction saying this showed the MACC could do their job in gathering evidence, but added the case gives a picture of logging concessions being abused by politicians and also civil servants to build their wealth.

 

“Chia's conviction raises questions of who is behind him. Chia has no position in the government and certainly, he does not have the powers to award logging concessions.

 

“The fact he manages to collect money from logging companies gives a picture that these companies know that he is being a middleman for someone who has the power and influence to award the logging concessions,” said the Pandan MP.

 

Hence, Rafizi said, the conviction strengthens speculation on the controversial RM40 million Chia was found with.

 

MACC investigations had shown that RM40 million were political contributions to the state Umno and not for Musa, according to a parliamentary reply by Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz ( left ).

 “With Chia's conviction I urge the MACC to re-open its investigations on Musa and the RM40 million collected from logging companies as evidence shows Chia's involvement in collecting it.

 

“His conviction is also a bad blow to Nazri Aziz who allegedly has connections with Chia when his son used the Sabah businessman's luxurious vehicle prior to this.

"This again raises questions when Nazri who was then Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, had explained truthfully in Parliament when he said there were no corruption elements involving Chia and Musa,” said Rafizi.

 

Catch big fish too

 

Rafizi said the case needs to be re-opened to ensure the MACC is not only getting the small fish but also the big ones as well.

 

Yesterday, it was reported that Chia was sentenced to one year's jail and a stroke of the rotan for cheating Agus in June 2004 when the judge ruled Chia's defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt to the prosecution's case.

Chia's lawyer has managed to obtain a stay of execution and is appealing the sentence and conviction to the High Court.

It was also previously reported that Chia was also arrested by the Hong Kong authorities for being implicated in the RM40 million saga.

 

This is the second time that Rafizi is asking the MACC to reopen its investigations into the RM40 million matter as in 2012, there were conflicting statements made by Nazri in Parliament when answering the matter. Rafizi himself went to the Hong Kong ICAC to find out more on its investigations.