Murad alleged that Anwar Ibrahim had over 20 "Master Accounts" with total funds running into more that RM3 billion and that he was personally involved in the payout of more than RM120 million to Anwar Ibrahim, individuals and organisations between 1992 to 1997:-
(1) to Anwar Ibrahim - RM50 million
(2) Dato Abdullah Ahmad (UN) - RM 5 Million
(3) Dato Nasaruddin Jalil - RM10 Million
(4) Asia Pacific Policy Centre (APPC) & Douglas H. Paal
- RM 38 million (USD 10 Million)
(5) Institut Kajian Dasar - (IKD) RM5 Million
(6) Aliran & Dr. Chandra Muzaffar - RM5 Million
(7) ABIM - RM 5 Million
(8) International Institute of Islamic Thoughts (IIIT) - RM 2 Million
(9) A UK-based Islamic Foundation - RM 1 Million
TOTAL
RM 121 Million
What is most incredible is that Murad has not been able to produce a single shred of evidence to subtantiate his very serious allegations.
Dr. Chandra Muzaffar has reacted instantly yesterday to denounce Murad’s allegation that he and Aliran had received RM5 million from Anwar’s master account as "a preposterous lie" and "yet another vicious, diabolical attempt to tarnish the reputation of people who are known to be Anwar’s friends".
Today, Chandra announced that after consulting his lawyers, he has decided to file a defamation suit against Murad for the allegation, reiterating that he and the Aliran had neither solicited nor received any financial assistance from Anwar.
Aliran, in its statement yesterday, has called Murad’s allegation "a damnable lie". Aliran President, P. Ramakrishnan also announced that Aliran will be filing defamation proceedings against Abdul Murad.
ABIM President, Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, today also denied that ABIM had received RM5 million from Anwar.
Malaysia’s special envoy to the United Nations Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad has also denied Murad’s allegation that he received RM5 million from Anwar to help settle a debt with Bank Bumiputra amounting to more than RM10 million.
The veracity of Murad’s allegations come under further question when he alleged that RM38 million (USD 10 million) was paid out to Asia Pacific Policy Centre (APPC) & Douglas H. Paal between 1992 to 1997, when the ringgit was only pegged at RM3.8 per US dollar on Sept. 1, 1998 - and the payout, if true, should have been RM25 million and not RM38 million after the conversion.
If there is any truth in Murad’s allegations, then the law must take its course.
Anwar had lodged four police reports on corruption and gross abuses of power at the highest government level, naming the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the first Finance Minister, Tun Daim Zainuddin, the Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz, the two highest legal officers in the land - the Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah and Gani Patail - and former Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Cik.
In his testimony in court, Anwar had made serious allegations
of improprieties and corruption against Daim, which raise grave questions
about the integrity of the first Finance Minister as Daim had not sought
to clear his name. The allegations include:
Now, Anwar has been accused of having amassed a fortune of more than RM3 billion while in government.
DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to conduct public investigations into all the allegations of corruption, improprieties and abuses of power which had been made public, whether against Mahathir, Daim, Rafidah, Mohtar Abdullah, Gani Patail, Rahim Tamby Cik or against Anwar so that the truth can be out for all Malaysians and the world to see.
(29/10/99)