Thesun 2009-10-20 Page01 Macc Probes Liows Wife

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Tuesday October 20, 2009

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Real hip-hop pg19 ph-lavour by Giam Say Khoon [email protected]

UTRAJAYA: Police have referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) a report lodged against the wife of Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai pertaining to allegations contained in a letter published on the Internet. Liow lodged a police report yesterday afternoon against the blog which posted the allegations. “The allegations are totally baseless. I want the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to quickly investigate and clear my name. “I will extend my fullest cooperation,” he told theSun yesterday evening by telephone. MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed confirmed that police had referred the case to MACC which was looking into it. “We have received the information from the police. We are studying the report and will investigate the matter,” he told a news conference. He declined to elaborate, saying there was a need to protect confidentiality in the investigations. “Be patient and don’t speculate on anything. Let us do our job,” Bernama quoted him as saying. On Sunday, Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng lodged a police report against Liow’s wife, Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo, pertaining to allegations in an anonymous letter that she received a luxury multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) from a company involved in the ministry’s projects. Earlier in Kuala Lumpur, Liow described as “political assassination” the allegation that his wife had received the MPV as a birthday gift from a contractor who won a ministry tender. Speaking at parliament lobby, the MCA deputy president said the allegation circulating in emails and posted on the blog was “totally baseless”. “It is very sad and evil as they are trying to drag my family in and this kind of work is to hit me at this politically difficult time as we know that my party is undergoing some disputes. We have a lot of work to do

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» Superstar Beyonce’s ‘I am’ concert postponed pg2 » The Culture Quiz pg13

MACC probes Liow’s wife to stabilise the party and I hope they do not use this kind of dirty tactic,” he said, referring to the MCA crisis. Liow said he would cooperate with the investigating authority to clear his name. The email alleged that Lee had received a Toyota Alphard which cost RM574,884.10 in January as a birthday present from a Health Ministry construction contractor. The anonymous sender also “provided” details like the car’s registration number, cheque numbers and Lee’s bank account number. It is alleged that the contractor had issued a RM324,884.10 cheque to a car dealer and is paying RM4,730 monthly for the instalment.

Liow says the allegation is political assassination and totally baseless. He wants his name cleared.

Asked if he suspected anyone of writing the email, Liow said he did not know but he believed police will be able to find out the culprit. A check by theSun revealed that a Toyota Vellfire (not an Alphard) manufactured in Japan in February 2008 was imported as a used car and registered in January. The 3.5-litre-powered MPV (Engine No. 2GRO569708 / Chassis No. GGH208007497) was sold by Amazing Motor Sports Sdn Bhd to one Lee Sun Loo of Jalan Bentong Makmur, in Taman Bentong, Pahang. It is learnt the purchase price was about RM384,000 and the loan approved by Public Bank was for RM250,000.

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Malaysia Day a holiday by Husna Yusop [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Day (Sept 16) will be celebrated as a national holiday from next year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak declared in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. He said the cabinet decided recently to celebrate Merdeka Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day. “The Independence Day on Aug 31 reminds us of the struggle to achieve independence from the colonialists and it will be celebrated with various official functions like parade and others. “Malaysia Day will be celebrated with programmes to strengthen unity, promote inter-racial understanding, portray people’s success and accomplishments in sports, socio-culture, arts and others which will lift the spirit of 1Malaysia,” he said. United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok applauded the cabinet decision, saying that it is a historical fact that The Federation of Malaysia was formed on Sept 16, 1963 when the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah mutually agreed to become a new nation. “Malaysia, therefore, is only 46 years old. The 52 years of independence is only for the Persekutuan Tanah Melayu or better known today as Semenanjung. “Some have tried to equate our position to that of the United States of America. They argue that although other states like Hawaii joined much later, the country dates its formation as 4th July 1776. Ours is of course very different because before 1963, there was no Malaysia yet. There was only the Federation of Malaya and this federation together with Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah negotiated to set up a new country called Malaysia,” he said in his blog posting yesterday. He also stated that some national leaders give the impression that Malaysia was born on Aug 31, 1957. “The level of awareness among Malaysians in Semenanjung on the formation of Malaysia is lower than those in Sabah and Sarawak, so much so they believe Malaya or Semenanjung is Malaysia,” said Dompok.