Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing skirted accusations of having illicitly received RM70 million from a land development scheme levelled against him and vice-president Mong Dagang.

james masing The Borneo Post reported James ( right ) today as saying that Mong, who is also Sarawak agriculture assistant minister, did not have the authority to request for land and "therefore he (Mong) has done nothing wrong ".

However, the senior minister for land development, neither confirmed nor denied the veracity of the letter Mong purportedly wrote on June 18, 1997 as the state assemblyperson of Bukit Begunan to one Kho Chee Pheng of Megaruma Sdn Bhd, a Kuching based company, asking for the kickback.

Yesterday, whistleblower website Sarawak Report accused the duo of having received the alleged bribe through the development of oil palm plantation in the Kelingkang Range located in Bukit Begunan, Sri Aman, Sarawak.

"I the undersigned hereby agree that the investor(s) will have to pay at least RM1,000 per acre and after deduction of the upfront to LCDA the balance will be divided 50 percent to the undersigned and 50 percent to Kho Chee Pheng," stated the letter, allegedly signed by Mong.

Sarawak Report estimated the alleged kickback at RM70 million based on the size of the plantation area.

Circle within circle investment

The Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) is a state-owned statutory body tasked with facilitating land development in Sarawak, especially native land.

NONE In the letter, Mong ( left) had allegedly named three companies one of which was to be used for the joint venture, as well as three nominees to be registered with the company chosen for the enterprise.

The companies named are Noble Reserves Sdn Bhd, Noble Resources Sdn Bhd and Noble Rewards Sdn Bhd  withthe nominees being Bawang Ak Dem, Leyta Kupa and Henry Yan Masing.

The Sarawak Report claimed that Bawang is Mong's wife, Leyta is the wife of James' private secretary Wilson Ugak, and Henry is James' brother.

James was responding to a complaint lodge by PKR Women's wing to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),  which he brushed aside as a "publicity stunt".

"Ignorance of procedures is not a crime. The application, I was told, was rejected. So what is the issue?" he asked.

PKR had also reported to the MACC about Mong's order to the State Agriculture Department to slash subsidies to disabled farmer Frusis Lebi, on the grounds of the farmer being pro-opposition.

 

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