RM10M LONDON APARTMENT, BARRICADE ISSUE DOMINATE
Rafizi takes aim at Mohamad; latter urges probe into former’s advice to Streram
AS the Rantau by-election enters its final lap today, the issue of Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s RM10 million apartment in London continues to provide fodder for his opponents.
The latest Pakatan Harapan leader to do so was PKR vicepresident Rafizi Ramli, who said the country might face another problem if the acting Umno president was chosen as the next prime minister.
“The first rule to become a leader is honesty. If you have RM10 million and own a house, admit it,” said Rafizi during a ceramah in Pekan Rantau here on Wednesday night.
This comes after Mohamad was accused of breaking banking laws by transferring RM10 million via a moneychanger to buy an apartment in London.
Rafizi said there were only two reasons why a person would transfer money using such a way — either the amount was above the limit allowed by Bank Negara or the money was not his.
“The regulations in 2007 stated that a person who had debt in the country could transfer only RM1 million overseas per year.
“Or it could be the money was not his. That’s why he used a moneychanger to hide the source of the cash.”
Mohamad had, in 2008, been cleared by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers, but the moneychanger was found guilty and his business licence was revoked.
Rafizi said Mohamad, fondly known as Tok Mat, had taken credit for the revival of Umno, especially after the party won the Cameron Highlands and Semenyih by-elections, which showed his ambition to become prime minister.
“If he wants the post, he has to be an honest ‘doctor’, not a shaman. If the government is facing financial constraints, we have to tell the truth to the people, not to cover it up, just like what the previous government did,” said the former Pandan member of parliament.
But the ceramah, which marked Rafizi’s return to the hustings after an 11month break, took a surprising twist when he admitted to asking PH candidate Dr S. Streram to crash a police blockade after he was denied entry into the 14th General Election nomination centre at Dewan Sri Rembau. Dr Streram was not allowed onto the premises then because he did not have a candidate pass from the Election Commission. In response, Mohamad yesterday, urged police to investigate the claim.
“Please investigate. All this while, Pakatan Harapan has claimed that the police and EC have abused their power,” he said.
Dr Streram, however, defended Rafizi, saying it was his “duty” to break through the barricade, and that it was “the right thing to do”.
“I had my nomination papers with me… and my proposer and seconder were accompanying me. So I don’t feel there’s anything wrong for Rafizi to say that,” he said in Kampung Kuala Sawah here.
On Mohamad’s claim that the matter should be probed to clear the police’s image, which he claimed had been tainted since the incident, Dr Streram said the police had investigated everything.
He said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun himself had testified as his witness when the matter was raised in the Election Court.
“So why is there a need for another police investigation?”
When asked what his initial reaction was when Rafizi told him to break through the police barricade, Dr Streram said he had no choice, and that it was not the question of who told him to do it.