Explain allegation to select committee, Jasin MP told
Backbencher Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin) should voluntarily come forward to explain to the parliamentary select committee on integrity regarding his allegation that questionable practices were involved in the auctioning of luxury cars seized by the customs department.
"Mohd Said should volunteer himself although the select committee has not made any decision concerning him," said opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) in a statement today.
Lim is also a member of the select committee.
Yesterday, committee chairperson Bernard Dompok said customs director-general Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid will be summoned to explain the matter to the committee.
However, he said there was no need to call Mohd Said since he had raised the matter in the Dewan Rakyat.
Lim commended the decision to call the customs top gun as a 'positive development' towards creating a new culture of greater accountability, transparency and integrity.
According to Mohd Said, the going rate for seized Mercedes Benz and BMW was RM40,000 per vehicle.
He claimed that these were 'special deals' for friends, contacts at palaces and government departments in order to please the buyers for specific reasons or curry favour to get datuk titles.
In an immediate refutation, Abdul Rahman denied any abuse of power while its prevention division head Adnan Ariffin said a committee under the Finance Ministry decided on the sale of luxury cars seized, and not the department itself.
MPs in the dark
Later it was revealed later that Mohd Said was one of the 'lucky MPs' who received a letter from the customs headquarters about two years ago allowing them to buy the seized luxury vehicles.
The Jasin MP admitted to have received the letter but denied buying a car.
Commenting on this, Lim said Mohd Said had violated the Standing Orders and committed a breach of parliamentary privilege when he failed to declare his 'pecuniary interest' in the issue when he raised it in Parliament.
"Mohd Said should make amends for his breach of parliamentary privilege by giving the fullest cooperation to get to the bottom of his allegation of graft in the customs by volunteering to appear before the committee," he added.
Meanwhile, a check with few parliamentarians revealed that they have not heard about the special offer for MPs.
"I have not heard of that. I even asked some colleagues who have been parliamentarians for a few terms, and they have not heard of this kind of offer either," said Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya).
Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad (BN-Ketereh) said he was aware that senior government officers are allowed to buy used official cars at a cheaper rate but not those confiscated by the customs department.
The MP said in 1997, when he was the political secretary to a minister, he had bought a Volvo for only RM21,000 following an appeal to the Treasury.
The original price was about RM70,000, he added.
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