New Straits Times 2011/04/26
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) found no evidence to implicate the Seri Kembangan assemblyman of any wrongdoing.
MACC investigating officer from Putrajaya, Ahmad Shafik Abdul Rahman(right), said based on investigations, there was no proof of irregularities in the disbursement of Selangor government funds by Ean Yong Hian Wah.
"We found that the programmes for which Ean Yong claimed state funds were all carried out," he said when questioned by conducting officer Awang Ardamadajaya Awang Mahmud yesterday.
"We found that the programmes for which Ean Yong claimed state funds were all carried out," he said when questioned by conducting officer Awang Ardamadajaya Awang Mahmud yesterday.
"The costs of the programmes were also reasonable and were carried out following specifications."
Investigations against Ean Yong for making false claims were initiated by the Selangor MACC.
Ahmad Shafik, 32, took over the investigations on Aug 27, 2009, following Teoh Beng Hock's death on July 16, 2009.
Ahmad Shafik, 32, took over the investigations on Aug 27, 2009, following Teoh Beng Hock's death on July 16, 2009.
Teoh, who was Ean Yong's political aide, was brought in by the MACC for questioning a day before he was found dead.
Yesterday, Ahmad Shafik said investigations were carried out on four documents found in Teoh's laptop.
"The programmes stated in the invoices were carried out. A witness, Lee Wye Wing, said he had emailed the invoices to Teoh. He also said he liaised with Teoh through emails and had also met him personally."
Yesterday, Ahmad Shafik said investigations were carried out on four documents found in Teoh's laptop.
"The programmes stated in the invoices were carried out. A witness, Lee Wye Wing, said he had emailed the invoices to Teoh. He also said he liaised with Teoh through emails and had also met him personally."
Ahmad Shafik said DAP's Serdang Aman branch had made advance payments to contractors for the programmes and this was based on Lee's statement and the receipts he produced.
"Lee produced more than 50 receipts but we could not determine which receipts were for which programme as it was not specified in the receipts."
Awang: In the documents from Teoh's laptop, there were also payments made to DAP Serdang Aman. Are these commissions?
Ahmad Shafik: No. If those were commissions, it would be a fixed amount of 10 or 20 per cent of the total amount claimed, and not more than 80 per cent of the total.
Awang: Was Teoh involved in organising these programmes or projects?
Ahmad Shafik: Ean Yong, as the Seri Kembangan assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor, had RM600,000 in allocated state funds. All the programmes and projects in Seri Kembangan were carried out by Lee.
"Lee was only in contact with Teoh and not with Ean Yong. Teoh would give the green light to Lee once the allocation was approved."
Commission chairman Tan Sri James Foong Cheng Yuen then asked: "So why did Selangor MACC investigate Ean Yong?"
Ahmad Shafik: I don't know. But the investigations were initiated based on a complaint that claims were made but programmes and projects were not carried out.
He said he had also referred his investigation papers (IP) to the deputy public prosecutor and he was instructed to "stop further investigations due to insufficient evidence against Ean Yong".
"This is not like any other ordinary case because a witness has died. I have faced difficulty as other witnesses do not want to cooperate, investigations were hampered and our officers were threatened.
"Besides, there was nothing wrong with contractors giving the money to DAP (DAP was reimbursed for advance payments)."
Foong: True. But should a political party be the one giving the advance payments for government projects?
Ahmad Shafik: Payments are only made out one or two weeks after a claim is made. So, someone had to foot the bill first and it would be reimbursed later.
Panel member Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman then commented that the money should not be from a political party.
Instead, he said, the contractors should foot the expenses first.
"The amounts are not big. If I was a contractor, I would be embarrassed if I don't have the money to pay first and yet still bid for projects," said Kadir.
"Lee produced more than 50 receipts but we could not determine which receipts were for which programme as it was not specified in the receipts."
Awang: In the documents from Teoh's laptop, there were also payments made to DAP Serdang Aman. Are these commissions?
Ahmad Shafik: No. If those were commissions, it would be a fixed amount of 10 or 20 per cent of the total amount claimed, and not more than 80 per cent of the total.
Awang: Was Teoh involved in organising these programmes or projects?
Ahmad Shafik: Ean Yong, as the Seri Kembangan assemblyman and Selangor executive councillor, had RM600,000 in allocated state funds. All the programmes and projects in Seri Kembangan were carried out by Lee.
"Lee was only in contact with Teoh and not with Ean Yong. Teoh would give the green light to Lee once the allocation was approved."
Commission chairman Tan Sri James Foong Cheng Yuen then asked: "So why did Selangor MACC investigate Ean Yong?"
Ahmad Shafik: I don't know. But the investigations were initiated based on a complaint that claims were made but programmes and projects were not carried out.
He said he had also referred his investigation papers (IP) to the deputy public prosecutor and he was instructed to "stop further investigations due to insufficient evidence against Ean Yong".
"This is not like any other ordinary case because a witness has died. I have faced difficulty as other witnesses do not want to cooperate, investigations were hampered and our officers were threatened.
"Besides, there was nothing wrong with contractors giving the money to DAP (DAP was reimbursed for advance payments)."
Foong: True. But should a political party be the one giving the advance payments for government projects?
Ahmad Shafik: Payments are only made out one or two weeks after a claim is made. So, someone had to foot the bill first and it would be reimbursed later.
Panel member Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman then commented that the money should not be from a political party.
Instead, he said, the contractors should foot the expenses first.
"The amounts are not big. If I was a contractor, I would be embarrassed if I don't have the money to pay first and yet still bid for projects," said Kadir.
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