Phang adamant on quitting MACC
Outspoken Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory panel member Robert Phang will resign from his post, despite the commission urging him not to do so.
Phang (right), who is being probed for graft, said it was necessary for him to step down to perserve his integrity and that of the MACC.
Referring to a recent blog post claiming he was involved in corrupt practices in Sabah, Phang said he considers the allegations as "very serious defamation".
He stressed however that by resigning from the panel, it would allow the MACC to investigate the claims against him without any fear of conflict of interests.
Yesterday, the MACC issued a statement stating that Phang need not resign because his term will expire next month.
Phang (right), who is being probed for graft, said it was necessary for him to step down to perserve his integrity and that of the MACC.
Referring to a recent blog post claiming he was involved in corrupt practices in Sabah, Phang said he considers the allegations as "very serious defamation".
He stressed however that by resigning from the panel, it would allow the MACC to investigate the claims against him without any fear of conflict of interests.
Yesterday, the MACC issued a statement stating that Phang need not resign because his term will expire next month.
Phang, who has been on the panel since the MACC was formalised in 2008, acknowledged that chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed had urged him to stay on, but noted that his decision to quit is a matter of principle and not legality.
Abu Kassim said there are many ways to consider (my next course of action). One way is I could stay put and carry on as is, but I don't want to remain there as a shady character.
If an MACC guy or a panel member is involved in corruption, that is a very serious matter. I am leading by example.
I am resigning to make way for the MACC to investigate the matter fairly, so I hope others will do likewise, he said.
'Only a Sabahan would know'
Phang took a swipe at those making the allegations against him, saying that he is suddenly the subject of venomous attacks after urging attorney-general Gani Patail to ! come cl ean on his alleged links with former MAS chairperson Tajudin Ramli, who is being charged in court in connection to massive losses suffered by the national carrier during his tenure.
He said his stint in Sabah goes back 30 years, and believes that only a Sabahan who is well-versed with what happened in the 1970s would know what he actually did at the time.
Phang noted that he was surprised by the sudden urgency from Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Deparment VK Liew - who like Gani is a Sabahan - in calling for investigations to be launched into the corruption claims.
Who would know better what I did in Sabah? It has to be a Sabahan, and someone who knows about things 30 years ago.
All these seem to be a concerted attack against me. The attacks against me centred on my past business activities in Sabah and most of it is fictitious... fanning these issues publicly is a calculated and orchestrated effort to discredit me, he said.
Phang, however, stopped short of accusing anyone of being behind the smear campaign against him, saying that he does not even know the identity of the blogger who posted the allegations online.
I am not condemning anyone. I however really want an investigation to be carried out, because the rakyat want to know the truth.
I have lived long enough to know that this is an attempt to intimidate me for speaking out... if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone, he said.
Abu Kassim said there are many ways to consider (my next course of action). One way is I could stay put and carry on as is, but I don't want to remain there as a shady character.
If an MACC guy or a panel member is involved in corruption, that is a very serious matter. I am leading by example.
I am resigning to make way for the MACC to investigate the matter fairly, so I hope others will do likewise, he said.
'Only a Sabahan would know'
Phang took a swipe at those making the allegations against him, saying that he is suddenly the subject of venomous attacks after urging attorney-general Gani Patail to ! come cl ean on his alleged links with former MAS chairperson Tajudin Ramli, who is being charged in court in connection to massive losses suffered by the national carrier during his tenure.
He said his stint in Sabah goes back 30 years, and believes that only a Sabahan who is well-versed with what happened in the 1970s would know what he actually did at the time.
Phang noted that he was surprised by the sudden urgency from Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Deparment VK Liew - who like Gani is a Sabahan - in calling for investigations to be launched into the corruption claims.
Who would know better what I did in Sabah? It has to be a Sabahan, and someone who knows about things 30 years ago.
All these seem to be a concerted attack against me. The attacks against me centred on my past business activities in Sabah and most of it is fictitious... fanning these issues publicly is a calculated and orchestrated effort to discredit me, he said.
Phang, however, stopped short of accusing anyone of being behind the smear campaign against him, saying that he does not even know the identity of the blogger who posted the allegations online.
I am not condemning anyone. I however really want an investigation to be carried out, because the rakyat want to know the truth.
I have lived long enough to know that this is an attempt to intimidate me for speaking out... if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone, he said.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/154633
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