Jasin MP should volunteer to appear before Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity on his allegation of graft in Customs Department on sale of confiscated luxury cars

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Wednesday) The response of the Customs director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid from London to “tell all” to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity next Tuesday  to shed light on allegation of graft in the Customs Department on the sale of confiscated luxury cars as the department has “nothing to hide” is a positive development in efforts to create a new culture of greater accountability, transparency and integrity.

The Jasin Member of Parliament, Datuk Mohd Said Yusuf should volunteer to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity on his allegation of graft in Customs Department, although the Select Committee had not made any decision concerning him.

With the decision of the Parliamentary Select Committee, and the full co-operation of the Customs director-general and the MP for Jasin, to get to the bottom of the allegation of graft in the Customs Department on the sale of confiscated luxury cars, a major step would be taken towards making Parliament and its incipient committee system meaningful and relevant to the concerns of the people and nation.

When Mohd Said first made his allegation of graft in the Customs Department on the sale of confiscated luxury cars in Parliament during question time last Wednesday, I had asked whether he had “pecuniary interest” on the issue as Standing Order 35(6) stipulates that “A member shall not speak on any matter in which he has a direct personal pecuniary interest  without disclosing the extent of that interest”.

At that time, Mohd Said should have declared whether he had any “pecuniary interest” which he failed to do.

It now transpire, from Mohd Said’s own admission as reported in the media today, that he indeed had “pecuniary interest” on the issue, as he said he was offered a chance by the Customs Department to buy a confiscated car, and he wanted to buy a Mercedes Benz but he could not get it as what he wanted was reserved for someone else.

He said he saw three luxury cars – two Mercedes Benz and a BMW – but they were reserved for “certain people” and that  Customs officers told him that the cars were going for about RM40,000.

Mohd Said has violated the Standing Orders and committed a breach of parliamentary privilege when he failed to declare his “pecuniary interest” in the issue when he raised it in Parliament last Wednesday.

Mohd Said should  make amends for his breach of parliamentary privilege by giving the fullest co-operation to get to the bottom of his allegation of graft in the Customs Department on the sale of confiscated luxury cars, as volunteering to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity.

(05/07/2006)