KOTA KINABALU – Institutions under the government are no longer seen as a recourse for the people but have become tools for political goals, said Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
The Warisan president said this in stressing the need for the separation of powers of the attorney-general to avoid an abuse of the judiciary system.
He also cited the use of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to carry out political persecution for ruling parties.
Shafie said he believes Warisan is now being targeted after its refusal to ink the government-opposition pact last month.
“The case (involving our Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli) happened because of our refusal to sign the memorandum.
“These things may not have happened if we had signed the pact,” Shafie said during a forum on political intervention in public institutions last night.
Earlier today, Rozman claimed trial to a corruption charge at the sessions court in Kuala Lumpur.
The prosecution charged Rozman under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 for using his office or position for gratification.
The Warisan lawmaker was accused of committing the offence on March 21, 2018, at the Transport Ministry office in Putrajaya, when he was Labuan Transportation Board deputy chairman.
The charge further reads that Rozlan committed the offence by receiving a bribe – a works contract for Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd, a company in which the accused’s father and sibling have interests in.
If found guilty, Rozlan faces imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the gratification.
Shafie said the exploitation of national institutions has reached a worrying level, adding that the departure of the party’s Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob last week was also largely the result of Warisan’s refusal to join the pact.
Talk had been rife that Yusof was also on the MACC watchlist over a case involving him back when he was Sabah education and innovation minister when the state was ruled by Warisan.
“It is such instances that we no longer see these institutions as being useful.
“I must point out that the pact had elements of give and take. We stayed away from the MoU because we want to remain very, very critical of the government,” said Shafie, adding that he would not decline talks with the prime minister if it would benefit the nation.
Shafie was himself remanded by the MACC ahead of the 14th general election after he was accused of embezzling more than RM1 billion during his time as a federal minister. – The Vibes, October 14, 2021
