MACC WANTS GUAN ENG TO APOLOGISE
CM describing Phee’s arrest as ‘illegal detainment’ is slanderous, says commission
THE Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) has given Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng 48 hours to apologise for describing the arrest of state Welfare, Caring Society, Health and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh as “illegal detainment”.
MACC yesterday said Lim’s statement was slanderous.
“We want Lim to openly apologise to us without any condition within 48 hours.
“Failing which we will initiate legal action against him,” MACC said, referring to a report titled “Guan Eng: I didn’t know about DoE letter to council, Norlela” in the New Straits Times yesterday.
Lim was quoted as saying: “What was revealed by Phee was about the illegal detainment by MACC.”
MACC said after going through audio and video recordings of Lim’s meeting with the media in Komtar, it found that Lim had used the words “illegal detainment” when asked about the illegal carbon filter factory fiasco in Sungai Lembu.
MACC said Penang High Court judicial commissioner Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed had never, in his judgment with regards to Phee’s remand order, said the arrest by the commission was “illegal detainment”.
MACC said it had filed an appeal against the High Court’s Aug 14 decision to cancel Phee’s remand order.
Meanwhile, Phee was again summoned by MACC yesterday to give his statement to facilitate the illegal factory probe.
He arrived just before 10am with his lawyer and Bukit Gelugor member of parliament Ramkarpal Singh, and left at 6.15pm.
Ramkarpal said questioning went well and investigators were happy with Phee’s cooperation.
“We were told questioning is complete and we are not required to come here anymore.”
This is Phee’s second time giving his statement to MACC to help the investigation into the illegal factory.