CCM should look at NFC instead of Suaram, says Tony Pua

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — The DAP’s Tony Pua has urged the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) to target the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal for investigations instead of prosecuting human rights organisation Suaram for alleged “misleading accounts”.

He said CCM’s motives were suspicious and he demanded to know what was meant by the “misleading accounts” referred to earlier today by Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when he said Suaram would soon face prosecution.

The minister did not offer any details at a press conference today when he announced plans to prosecute Suaram, a human rights organisation that has been called a tool of the opposition by Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians.

Responding to CCM’s investigations, Pua (picture) said that if anyone searched they would “find many companies have misleading accounts”.

He also cited the NFC scandal involving Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil’s family in the national cattle-farming project as an example of what the CCM should be looking into.

“Why are they charging (Suaram) over misleading accounts when there are so many other cases we have exposed before with regards to dodgy accounting?

“For example, the accounts by Shahrizat’s family... their taking out of money from these companies and sending it to Singapore without necessary approval. All these things are exposed, the facts are there, and yet no action is taken against them. Suaram is prosecuted instead, when no one is at all aware what are its misleading accounts.”

Suaram has been the focus of intense criticism in recent weeks over its links to foreign donors with BN leaders questioning its loyalty to the country and the motives of donations to its operations.

The organisation’s leaders have suggested that the prosecution and attacks are due to its part in an ongoing French inquiry probing possible corruption in Malaysia’s multibillion-ringgit purchase of two Scorpene submarines.

Pua suggested that the motive for the prosecution is political, and a means for the government “to shut Suaram down”.

“They’ll do whatever it takes because Suaram is pursuing the case of corruption in the Scorpene deal,” he said.

“They want to stop Suaram from being part of the investigation.”