Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawis statement that there was no witch-hunt against former finance minister Daim Zainuddin or his associates should not preclude the dispensation of belated justice to the people and nation.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang who said this in a press statement today, added: This is especially so in restoring accountability, transparency and good governance in various controversial decisions during Daims tenure as finance minister.

Yesterday, Abdullah denied there was a witch-hunt against the former finance minister and businessmen linked to him.

He said this when asked if the problems encountered by Technology Resources Industries Bhd with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) and investigations against Tajudin Ramli (TRI chairperson and former Malaysian Airlines executive chairperson) over irregularities in MAS cargo division were the dawn of a government crackdown against Daim and his associates.

The KLSE on Wednesday deferred the listing and quotation of new ordinary shares from the restricted issues of TRI pending the latters compliance of certain regulations.

Abdullah added that if people were being investigated or action was being taken against them, it would be based on offences they had committed and not because of their association with any particular individual.

Unique privatisation

Lim today also called for an all-party Parliamentary Select Committee to hold hearings to recommend whether Parliament should approve MAS RM6.1 billion restructuring exercise.

The veteran politician claimed this was another round of government bailout of the national carrier and questioned whether it was another example of Malaysias unique privatisation to privatise the profits but nationalise the losses.

The new RM6.1 billion restructuring exercise involves two key elements of assets sale of RM3.9 billion for the sale and leaseback of the aircrafts and disposal of properties worth RM2.2 billion in order to enable the airline to settle some of its debts and provide RM820 million as working capital.

But the Malaysian taxpayers and MPs are entitled to ask as to why public coffers should again be raided for another round of a MAS bailout, and in particular, whether the Cabinet had been informed when it decided on the first bailout that it would have to be followed with a series of other bailouts? said Lim.