Anwar filed corruption police reports on Daim and Dr M in 1999

M. Krishnamoorthy

A media coach, adjunct professor and author

Over 24 years ago, PMX Anwar Ibrahim filed a Police Report implicating Daim Zainuddin and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad of corruption charges in the Federal Court Kuala Lumpur while in prison.

The Police Report No. 30375/99, dated 12th November 1999, was made at 12.22 pm. The following is an English translation of the original made in Bahasa Malaysia.

“I hereby submit documents from Tan Sri Ting Peck Khing addressed to Tun Daim Zainuddin and Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir plus a directive from the Prime Minister to me, as the Finance Minister then, to speed up the approval of payment to Tan Sri Ting Peck King, contravening the law and financial procedures and without prior reference to the auditors, Price Waterhouse, who was appointed to scrutinise the application for compensation from Ekran, who were undertaking the construction of the Bakun Dam project in Sarawak.

“The application for payment of compensation was sent by Tan Sri Ting directly to Tun Daim, although he did not have any authority to approve it. The application was also sent directly to Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir, who again demonstrated his method of implementing mega projects such as Perwaja, Putrajaya and KLCC. He had approved the Bakun project without complying with privatisation or tender procedures.

“He had launched the project even before Cabinet approval. As per my previous police report with regards to Perwaja, he had established direct links with Tan Sri Ting, bypassing the Ministry and agency concerned. The Cabinet only approved it later, and he asked me to monitor it as the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Bakun. In fact, in the application for compensation, as stated in the letters attached, I was ignored, though at that point in time, I was the finance minister and the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee for Bakun.

“My firmness and reluctance to approve the allocation without complying with the financial procedures and regulations resulted in my being doubted. The majority interest in the Bakun project is held by Ekran, who is controlled by Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir's close friend and business partner of Tun Daim, Tan Sri Ting Peck Khing.”

During that time, Anwar issued four police reports in 1999: on the 9th of July, 21st of July, 30th of July, and 20th of August.

This police report issued on 12th November 1999 is another one. The report continued that Rasip Harun, Tun Daim's business partner, also held equity. Rasip Harun and Robert Tan Hua Choon, another business partner of Daim, controlled Jasa Kita. Jasa Kita was involved in the abuse of the Telecoms shares allocation scandal, which Daim supposedly allocated to the Indian community while he was the finance minister.

On the other hand, the shares concerned were diverted to three companies related to Dato Samy Velu. This included Clearway, where Robert Tan's driver, Baharuddin M. Arip, was the Director of Jasa Kita.

“Robert Tan's other company, Spanco, was hastily given approval for the privatisation of government transport by the privatisation Unit of the Prime Minister's Department. The company's services were criticised as weak and costly, and I had asked for some clauses in the agreement to be reviewed. Because Tun Daim was interested, all my comments and objections were sidelined by Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir,” Anwar stated in the police report.

The Bakun project requires Sarawak government support. Therefore, Ekran obtained the involvement of two sons of the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud: Mahmud Abu Bekir and Sulaiman Abdul Rahman, who hold equity in Ekran and Pacific Chemicals.

“Ekran easily obtained timber concessions of thousands of acres surrounding the Dam area, although the residents and environmental organisations strongly protested. Other than that, Dato Seri Ling Liong Sik's son was also appointed to manage the project with a generous remuneration. With the endorsement and approval of Dato Seri Dr Mahathir, the decision to approve the project was made without reference to the Board of Directors of the Bakun company, the Finance Ministry, or the Cabinet Committee. At that point in time, when the project viability was in doubt, the Prime Minister directed HICOM Holdings, EPF, and TNB to hold equity.”

The said companies, Anwar commented, along with SESCO, continuously protested because Tan Sri Ting had made the decision on his own, "with the Prime Minister's agreement", without the prior approval of the Board of Directors. The contract was arbitrarily awarded to the companies related to Ekran. For example, Pacific Chemicals was given logging contracts covering 20,000 hectares in the Bakun area. FCW Holdings was promised a 4 billion Ringgit contract for manufacturing submarine cables that also involves the interests of Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir's son.

“In the end, when it became obvious that the project was going to fail, and that we would be repeating the experience of Perwaja's losses having to be borne by the government, I used the economic crisis that we were facing at that time as the excuse to cancel the project. Furthermore, too many companies' results were found to lack transparency, raising problems with the KLSE and Securities Commission. Action against Ekran did not take place because of the protection given by the Prime Minister and Tun Daim. The termination of the project incurred the anger of not only both of them but also of the families and crony companies that had an interest.

“The application for compensation amounting to 2.2 billion Ringgit was excessive, as revealed in Tan Sri Ting's letter to Tun Daim dated 11 July 1998 (Exhibit one). His letter to the Prime Minister mentioned an advance payment of 120 million Ringgit. In his memo dated 12 August 1998, the Prime Minister instructed me to pay, disregarding financial regulations procedure (exhibit two).”

Anwar said he was aware that a few previous police reports, together with documents and letters, in particular those involving Dato' Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim, were not investigated, nor was any action taken as if these leaders are immune from investigation and action.

Anwar urged the police to act professionally. “Again, I submit documents and letters showing that a conflict of interest, bribery, and abuse of power involving Dato Seri Dr Mahathir and Tun Daim exists. We are still awaiting investigation and action by the police and the Anti-Corruption Agency,” Anwar concluded in his police report attaching two exhibits, and the letter was signed as Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

For more on other police reports on Daim and Mahathir, see the URL links below: http://lib.perdana.org.my/PLF/Digital_Content/Prominent_Leaders/Mahathir/News_1968-2004/1999-2000/1999aj/anwar%20on%20in%20police%20report.PDF

https://www.limkitsiang.com/archive/1999/aug99/sg1834.htm

Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (www.imkrishna.net) is a media coach, adjunct professor and undercover journalist. He has freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks and the New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns about going undercover as a beggar, security guard, blind man, disabled salesman, and Member of Parliament.

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