MoCS, PR parties submit demand to MACC, issue ultimatum to Taib

Dear MoCS Fellows and friends,

I’m pleased to inform you all that we had successfully carried out our ‘mission’ this morning at the MACC office in Kuching.

Sarawak MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Noor was on hand to receive our submission. He was gracious enough to receive us at the entrance of Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Shah. Many reporters were present.

The Delegation with MACC Officer. From left See Chee How (PKR), YB Chong (DAP, Francis Siah, MACC Assist Commissioner, Mohd Noor, State PAS secretary Faisal, Baharuddin Mokhsen (PKR)

As a show of unity and strength, YB Chong Chieng Jen, See Chee How, State PAS secretary Faisal, Baharuddin, Joshua Jabeng, Alphonsus Kuek, other PR representatives and MoCS Fellows were in our delegation. (Photo credit – Joseph Tawie)

We have copied the submission and demand to the MACC Kuala Lumpur and the Prime Minister.

MoCS is seeking an appointment with Najib. We will take this matter up to the very top.

Below is my press statement released at the event this morning.

PRESS STATEMENT by Francis Paul Siah, leader of the Movement For Change, Sarawak (MoCS) in Kuching on 4^th March, 2011.

On behalf of MoCS and as a citizen of the state of Sarawak, I submit to the MACC today all the reports of the corrupt practices and blatant abuse of power allegedly committed by Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The said allegations and accusations have been widely reported in the media, notably in many news portals and blogs, both locally and overseas.

Today, I am putting on record MoCS’s demand that MACC conduct an immediate investigation on the allegations against Abdul Taib Mahmud.

This demand is endorsed by four Pakatan Rakyat parties in Sarawak, namely DAP, PKR, SNAP and PAS.  Several NGO groups also concur with this formal demand. Their representatives are with me here today.

We also demand that MACC update the public on the status of the reports and complaints lodged by various parties in the past against the chief minister.

We wish to know whether MACC had taken any action so far despite the overwhelming evidence put forth by Sarawak Report, Bruno Manser Fund and a number of other whistleblowers.

It must be noted that most of the allegations of corruption against the chief minister have documentary proof.

MACC owes it to Sarawakians and Malaysians to reveal what it intends  to do regarding these serious allegations of corruption and power abuse against Abdul Taib Mahmud.

To ABDUL TAIB MAHMUD: We give a 9-day notice from today (March 4 to March 13) to the chief minister to turn up on March 13  at 13.13 hour (ie 13 minutes past one o’clock) sharp at the Central Police Station, Khoo Hun Yeang Street, Kuching to respond to all the accusations and allegations against him as contained in our submission with our formal demand to the MACC on March 4.

If the honourable chief minister does not turn up on the said day and time, we will have no alternative but to adjudge him GUILTY of the accusations against him. We will declare so and he should be charged for the crime of graft and money laundering and we will demand that he should step down immediately.

If he refuses to resign voluntarily, we will mobilize people’s power together with our allies in Pakatan Rakyat and other NGOs to oust him at the appropriate time.

This is MoCS’s commitment to the people of Sarawak.

Signed: Francis Paul Siah, Leader, MoCS