Speech (2) by Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the DAP State Assembly Reps’ Workshop in Sibu on Saturday, 11^th June 2011: 

Taib Mahmud should go on leave until MACC has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that it is currently investigating Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud over allegation of timber corruption.

Its chief commissioner, Abu Kassim Mohamed said two days ago that the commission was in the process of gathering more information regarding the matter.

Is “gathering more information” tantamount to a corruption investigation under the MACC Act 2009 or is it an activity which can be outsourced to any research organisation?

Although what Abu Kassim said is a great improvement to his stony silence just two months ago, Sarawakians and Malaysians are entitled to know clearly and definitively whether MACC has opened files to investigate into the “grand corruption” allegations against the Sarawak Chief Minister.

When did the MACC begin corruption investigations (as distinct from “gathering more information”) against Taib and why must MACC act only after international pressure emanating from the Swiss Federation President Micheline Calmy-Rey after she forwarded the information about Taib's assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body Finma (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation?

In any event, shouldn’t Taib Mahmud go on leave until MACC has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations as otherwise it would a shame to Sarawak and Malaysia to have a state Chief Minister actively under MACC investigations following international pressures.

Let Taib announce at the forthcoming State Assembly in 10 days time that he is going on leave as Sarawak Chief Minister until he is cleared of grave “grand corruption” allegations.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor