PM: Gani may have his reasons on Musa – Nation

PUTRAJAYA: Former attorney general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail may have his own reasons why he did not charge former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman with corruption, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should also explain why no prosecution was made on the matter, he added.

“There must be a reason for it. I think the matter is not fully understood and I think we will seek some clarification on what the actual situation was at that time,” he said after attending the launch of the “Gold Note of Hope” by Poh Kong Jewellers Sdn Bhd at the Perdana Leadership Foundation.

He was asked about Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng’s statement that Gani must explain why Musa was not charged for corruption in 2012.

On Monday, Musa was slapped with 35 counts of corruption after it was alleged that he received up to RM253mil in kickbacks related to logging contracts.

On another claim by former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim that the decision-making in Pakatan Harapan’s government is influenced by “billionaires” and “towkays”, Dr Mahathir said Zaid was free to give opinions.

“Maybe he has evidence. He can show proof if he has,” he said.

Zaid, who is a DAP member, had written in his blog that “the true supporters of the Pakatan government were the rich, not socialists or supporters of the welfare system”.

On a separate matter, Dr Mahathir said the government would table a supplementary budget after Budget 2019 takes effect.

He was responding to a question whether a review will be made in the Budget to help people in the rural areas.

Meanwhile, Poh Kong executive chairman and group managing director Datuk Choon Yee Seiong said that RM30 from each purchase of the Gold Note of Hope would be donated to Tabung Harapan.

Poh Kong is committed to contributing at least RM1mil by end of this year, he added.

The 999.9 fine gold note depicts an autographed portrait of Dr Mahathir, the Jalur Gemilang, some of the country’s iconic infrastructure and the national flower, Bunga Raya.