Keadilan Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor told the Petaling Jaya Sessions Courts today that he did not publicly expose the corrupt practices of two top government officials when he was in Umno "because the party had its own way to handle such issues".

Ezam added he did not call for a press conference or lodge a police report against the two politicians as most Umno members knew about the corruption allegations against International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Malacca chief minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik.

"The allegations were very big issues during the 1996 Umno annual general meeting. And I played a role in exposing them," he said, adding that the two leaders failed to retain their posts in party elections held that year.

At the 1996 Umno elections, Rafidah was booted out as Wanita chief, while Abdul Rahim failed to win the Youth chief post.

Classified documents

Ezam, who is charged for leaking secret government documents to the media, said this while being cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Vong Poh Fah.

He was a member of Umno until 1998 when jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was sacked from his post and expelled from the party.

Ezam, who is a former political secretary to Anwar, held several positions within Umno from 1991 to 1998.

He also told the court that he had come across several documents classified as secret, during his two-year tenure as political secretary to the finance minister - a post also held by Anwar.

"I am aware that classified documents cannot be exposed to the public. But through experience, I can identify documents stamped ' rahsia ' (secret) on the basis of its sensitivity to national security, from those containing information of corrupt practices committed by government leaders."

"There is no reason for such documents to be kept secret," he said.

Rafidah's admission

Ezam reiterated that he first read the two Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigation reports on Rafidah and Abdul Rahim when he received the papers through Pos Laju.

The documents arrived in November 1999 from a person he did not know. He said, however, he knew of the allegations against the two politicians through newspaper reports since 1994.

Asked by Vong whether he believed the newspaper reports when he read them then, Ezam said yes, "as Rafidah herself admitted to giving shares worth over RM1 million to her son-in-law".

"I was shocked at first as to how a minister could admit to such corrupt practices without any feelings of shame and integrity. When I read the documents, I felt disappointed and angry because its contents confirmed the newspaper reports I read earlier.

"The documents also showed that the Attorney General's Chambers had clearly stated that Rafidah was to face five charges of corruption in 1995, but when I read those documents in 1999, none of the charges had been filed," he said.

Trial to resume on Jan 26

Ezam is accused of disclosing two classified reports, titled The Anti-Corruption Agency's Investigation into Rafidah Aziz and The Anti-Corruptions Agency's Investigation into Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik .

He disclosed them at a press conference at 12.45pm on Nov 6, 1999 at the Keadilan head quarters in Phileo Damansara.

He is being charged under Section 8(1)(i) of the Official Secrets Act 1972 which carries a jail term of not less than one year, and not more than seven years, upon conviction.

Ezam is currently serving a two-year detention order under the Internal Security Act at the Kamunting detention camp together with five other opposition leaders for alleged involvement in a militant attempt to overthrow the government.

Ezam is being represented by counsel Raja Aziz Addruse and Zainur Zakaria. The hearing before judge Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim is scheduled to resume on Jan 26 next year.

According to Raja Aziz, the defence planned to call two witnesses when the trial continues. However, he declined to reveal their names.