Leo Moggie took five long days to make his first response to the Asahi Shimbun report of the RM10.6 million Mitsui kickback to Telekom Malaysia, making an unbelievably weak statement that Telekom Malaysia had been asked to submit a report to the Ministry.
About a week had passed since Leo Moggie’s demand, but there seems to be no sense of urgency either on the part of the Minister or Telekom Malaysia.
This was why the Deputy Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Tan Chai Ho could say yesterday that no deadline had been imposed on Telekom Malaysia to submit its report to the Ministry.
There are no signs that Telekom Malaysia is preparing any report to Leo Moggie, as the last public response from Telekom Malaysia is by its executive director and chief operating officer, Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahim Daud who told the New Straits Times last Wednesday that Telekom Malaysia had no further comment as the matter was now in the hands of the Anti-Corruption Agency.
Does this mean that the Telekom Malaysia does not accept or recognise the request of Leo Moggie for a report on the allegation of the Mitsui kickback?
The Malaysian government is the largest shareholder of Telekom Malaysia and the telekom company’s refusal submit itself to Ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny is totally unacceptable.
Leo Moggie should submit a report to Parliament this week on the allegation of the Mitsui kickback to Telekom Malaysia to show his seriousness in wanting full accountability on the allegation.
(21/2/2000)