Nor Mohamed Yakcop’s political secretary Hasbie Satar resigned last night, according to a statement by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department today.
The statement did not give a reason for Hasbie’s resignation.
But the Malaysian Mirror reported that Hasbie, a Sarawakian, was believed to be the political secretary to a senior minister who was detained during an MACC raid last Thursday on an apartment in Teluk Air Tawar in Butterworth. It added that the fourth-floor apartment was thought to have been “rented by the minister’s election team weeks before the 8 March 2008 general election and later used as a transit-home for the minister’s staff”. The portal said that it was learnt that two of the minister’s service staff were present in the apartment during the raid.
The political secretary was detained after MACC officers found RM2 million in cash, a 4WD and a BMW at the apartment. Bank accounts have now been frozen.
Teluk Air Tawar is one of three Penang state assembly constiutuencies that lie within the federal parliamentary constituency of Tasek Gelugor, which is held by Nor Mohamed.
The political secretary had reportedly been under investigation over allegations that he had amassed millions of ringgit in property by being the middleman in deals for approval of multi-million ringgit projects. Investigators also reportedly obtained an order to seize his property, including luxury cars.
The raid came at around the same time that the new MACC said the commission should be judged by its actions.
But when you think of all the big corporate scandals and kickbacks and the cronyism that we have heard of in the past, RM2 million sounds like petty cash or kacang putih. It is only when the MACC takes action against the big sharks that we can really say it is effective and independent.
Last week, it was revealed that the MACC had closed the files on eight so-called “high-profile” cases, six of them involving Pakatan elected reps.
- Malacca CM Mohd Ali Rustam’s who was alleged to be associated with ‘money politics’ during the party election last year when he was vying for the Umno deputy president’s post;
- Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim’s who was alleged to have misused state funds to buy 46 cows during Hari Raya Haji for his Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary constituency;
- former Perak Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar who was alleged to have misused to have misused his power in suspending Zambry Abdul Kadir and six other Perak BN government exco members from attending the state legislative assembly meeting;
- alleged corruption case of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T Murugiah during its PPP party election;
- former Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Fairus Khairuddin who was alleged to be associated with illegal quarry activities;
- Jawi state assembly member Tan Beng Huat who was alleged to have wrongly used allocations to buy electrical goods;
- Batu Tiga assembly member Rodziah Ismail who was alleged to have misused state government money; and
- two Parti Keadilan Rakyat Supreme Council members who were alleged to have bribed Penanti independent candidate Aminah Abdullah.
Now, it’s time to go hunting for sharks!
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RT @Anil Netto The Two Million Ringgit Man « anilnetto.com http://is.gd/8pPpt
RT @Anil Netto: RT @Anil Netto The Two Million Ringgit Man « anilnetto.com http://is.gd/8pPpt
I think we should wait for MACC investigation result and do not make prejudgment. How Hasbie have 2 million is still a question mark. Tan Sri Nor is a person who served the country so much, and his services can not be overlooked and denied. He has done so many thing including the implementation of Islamic banking in Malaysia, the setting-up of the bilateral payments mechanism between Bank Negara Malaysia and Central Banks of South-South countries, the setting-up of the Rating Agency Malaysia Berhad. In result we see lots of International Islamic Bank investing in Malaysia. He also working so… Read more »
GE13 seems like a waiting game. N is taking very long to wait….
For a better Malaysia, “I’ll wait”…….!!!
Yes Anil, the amount squandered by that Big Boss could be much higher. No wonder he was branded as a Menace to the country by George Soros and recalcitrant at that, as commented by the Australian PM at that time. Now he tries to emulate the Minister Mentor from the Island down south but the fact is that TDM doesnt hold a candle to him. What Minister Mentor can do to push the tiny island forward, our old senile TDM couldnt do any, except to divide Malaysians with his foul mouth extremist and racist comments, and those UMNO nincompoops (this… Read more »
wait for the election.its time to change the goverment and to flush out all this corrupt Umno
Ha,ha. Dear Anil, you are right. Actually, 2 million is only a bit of dust compared to the 8 billion squandered away by the foolish big boss in the 1980s forex gambling when M was in power.
Yes, you are right. And the figure could have been a lot higher than 8 billion.
I had spent a large part of my life in academia and I was blissfully oblivious of much of what went on in society, mostly in the corporate world. Recently I got involved in the real estate business and get to meet quite a few people in the corporate world and those who have close association with what went on in the business world. It would seemed that kickbacks are quite common. Proxies are often used to facilitate the process. And then of course there were other rather unethical practices and I had been given the advice so often that… Read more »
Yes, Mist, corruption extends it ugly tentacles even in the private sector, even within companies.
Getting arrested is one thing but being charged in court is another. I understand that SPRM faces the biggest obstacle when prosecuting (cases). Witnesses for prosecution suddenly turn hostile, change their statement in court etc. I am inclined to believe that some witnesses (might be) paid off(?)
Teachers are made to eat nasi bungkus. Politicians are becoming richer. Prices of essential goods have shot up. People are finding it hard to put food on the table. Education has become “papers without quality”. The economy is doomed. Social problems are sickening. Crime rate has gone up. Here BN associates are caught with millions in cash. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Leaders are living like Maharajas of yesteryear. The people down there are suffering. This is Malaysia. When politicians are corrupted to the core, the country will wither. My dear Malaysians. Let’s go for a change.… Read more »
Funny! Now BN govt has near tactic. All those who have said or done something wrong just resign. This does not solve the issue. PDRM and MACC should investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book whether BN or PR. Those who break the trust placed in them should be dealt with without fear or favour. Nor Mohammad shld take leave until investigations (into his political secretary) are complete, (if he is (also allegedly) involved then he can impede investigations by shredding relevant documents like what K Toyo and company immediately after March 8 2008).
Don’t think that that’s it with the resignation of the political secretary. Whether the real mastermind/culprit is nailed, we just know too well how the political scene works in this country.
Millions and millions are needed to have it their ways, to hold on to power. And the last reserves of the nation are fast drying up by these unscrupulous acts.
Zahrain tried to politicize the situation when (the) multi million tender (was denied) to the 2 dollars company. As an ex UMNO member, he just like all UMNO members are all alike, (allegedly) trying to use their position for their advantages. It was LGE CAT that put a stop to this type of croynism. It is a good thing that Zahrain resigned and the full turnout of the top brass of Pakatan Rakyat’s Penang contingent at Chief Minister LGE open house at Komtar Walk yesterday doused hopes that the insurgency of Zahrain Mohd Hashim was gaining ground. We Penangite have… Read more »