Hardcore Poor or Hardcore Robbers?

Saturday November 12, 2005

Former sec-gen convicted of CBT involving RM11million
BY CECIL FUNG

Finally, the court had pronounced the verdict - The money for projects for the HARDCORE POOR allocated by the Ministry of Rural Development under the auspices of Datuk Annuar Musa who was then the Minister, was used to unjustly enrich the Agenda Lagenda (read here for what I had said: PAS Hindering UMNO's Agenda )

Former Rural Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Muhamad was found guilty by the Sessions Court yesterday of cheating and abetment in criminal breach of trust involving RM11mil relating to a project for the hardcore poor.

Sessions Court judge Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab convicted Dr Abdul Aziz, 61, of abetting former Ketengah (Terengganu Tengah Development Authority) general manager Datuk Alwi Said in committing CBT involving RM2mil in Ketengah funds together with millionaire Ooi Kee Siang at Kompleks Kewangan in Jalan Raja Chulan here between April 27 and July 31, 1999.

“Alwi would not have committed CBT with Ketengah’s funds had Dr Abdul Aziz and Ooi not repeatedly instigated him to do so over several board meetings of Tasik Puteri Integrated Farm (M) Sdn Bhd.

“I also consider the fact that the accused was the chairman of the TPIF board of directors and deputy chairman of Ketengah, which put him in a position of authority over Alwi, which influenced the latter to pay TPIF,” Mohd Zaki said in his judgment.

Alwi, who was not charged, had testified as a prosecution witness in Dr Abdul Aziz’s trial.

Ooi who was taken into custody by the Anti-Corruption Agency for investigations into the case went into hiding soon after his release. He remains a fugitive.

Dr Abdul Aziz was also found guilty of cheating then Second Finance Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed by deceiving him into believing that a proposed RM9mil investment by Ketengah in TPIF for an orchid and fish-breeding project was viable.

He committed the offence at Kompleks Kewangan in Jalan Duta between June 24 and Aug 9, 1999.

The former secretary-general had written two letters in 1999, to his counterpart at the Treasury to request speedy approval of the investment proposals contained in the earlier letter, said the judge.



“I also find that the accused had a motive not to disclose to the finance minister the fact that RM2mil had been invested without the minister’s approval. This is because if the investment was not approved, the accused could be subject to a surcharge,” the judge said.

In mitigation, Dr Aziz's counsel told the court that his client had to support his two wives. He also asserted that Dr Abdul Aziz, who had served the Government for 33 years, had not acted for personal gain, but had only wanted to ensure the success of the project, which had benefited 150 hardcore poor individuals by providing them jobs.

Wow, excellent record - the hundreds of million dollars programme had benefited 150 hardcore poor individuals who till today remain as hardcore poor while a few within the system had become hardcore F**king rich.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dzulkifli Ahmad, however, urged the court to put public interest above all else:

“In implementing government projects, the law must come first. Nothing is above the law,” Dzulkifli said.

...and Annuar Musa had come clean ... and no further news of the other hundreds of millions untraceables ...

The protracted AGENDA certainly works within the realms of the AGENDA mooters and the coterie must be passionately indulging ...watch the bellies growing ... obese.

Is there a need to ponder over the reality and fantasy of the AGENDA or should Kelantanese use the voting system to speak aloud? I doubt it will make any difference!!!!

Somehow, glibness breeds heretics and it's just another day!

Malaysia Boleh; Khairy Boleh! Annuar pun Boleh! Nik Aziz, mana boleh!