ACA must conduct full investigations into Fauzi’s allegations of abuse of power by Khalil when Pahang Mentri Besar and money politics in UMNO

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Media Conference Statement
-  after lodging a joint police report against Utusan Malaysia and Bernama for “false news” 
by Lim Kit Siang 

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However, whatever the outcome of his “resignation”, Fauzi had made two allegations which are very serious, going to the very root of a clean, honest  and incorruptible political culture:
 

• that  Information Minister and UMNO Secretary-General, Tan Sri Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob had been guilty of abuse of power during his tenure as Pahang Mentri Besar by giving out logging concessions without following regulations as laid out by the National Forestry Policy - flouting the yearly quota for Pahang of  only logging approximately 28,000 acres of land; and
• money politics in UMNO such as the “rampant use of money, hampers and distribution of meat to party members” at  UMNO branches.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had publicly shed tears when speaking as UMNO President calling on UMNO leaders, branches and members to declare an all-out war against  corruption and money politics, but when serious allegations of corruption and money politics are made against senior UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders, he ceased to have tears.

If the tears shed by Mahathir against corruption were genuine, he should demand Khalil’s  resignation as Minister and UMNO Secretary-General until Khalil  has cleared his name of the serious allegations after investigations by the Anti-Corruption Agency  (ACA) and other relevant authorities.

The ACA  must conduct full investigations into Fauzi’s allegations of abuse of power by Khalil when Pahang Mentri Besar and money politics in UMNO, especially as the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim had publicly invited the ACA to cleanse up the corruption of money politics in UMNO.
 
(31/3/2001)