Baru: I merely cited Auditor-General’s Report
KUCHING: State PKR chairman Baru Bian said he was merely citing the findings of the AuditorGeneral (AG)’s Report in his statement to the press without going into the specifics that the Housing Development Corporation ( HDC) had paid RM2.88 million to two contractors for paint jobs which were never done.
The Ba Kelalan assemblyman said at no time did he utter any names of persons or companies named in the report.
“I have been falsely accused of tarnishing a nameless company and an equally nameless contractor, and I cannot even sue for defamation as they do not have the honour and the courage to own up to their identities. This is cowardice at its worst,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Baru was responding to thesundaypost’s report in which an unnamed contractor accused him of not checking the facts before making allegations against the contractor’s company.
The unnamed housing contractor in Miri denied not carrying out repainting work for a housing project there despite having been paid by HDC. According to the contractor,
I have been falsely accused of tarnishing a nameless company and an equally nameless contractor, and I cannot even sue for defamation as they do not have the honour and the courage to own up to their identities. This is cowardice at its worst.
the repainting job was done and completed in 2015, and they have every proof of that.
Baru further said that he was surprised that anyone holding a press conference would instruct the press to withhold his identity.
“If this person is truly blameless and wishes to refute the facts in the AG’s report and in the ‘misleading viral’, he should not be hiding behind anonymity. What is there to hide if one is truly innocent of charges made against one? How does one clear one’s name without identifying himself?”
He stressed that the AG’s audit has set processes, which are followed when they carry out their work.
“If the contractor’s name, whatever it may be, is cited in the report, I am sure that he would have been given an opportunity to present his case to the AG during their investigations. If he is saying that due process was not carried out and the AG’s report was inaccurate, then he should take issue with the AG. Perhaps he should consider suing the AG for defamation.”
Baru said as the Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has indicated that his ministry will probe the shortcomings in HDC, perhaps it may be better to hand over the matter to the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) to investigate.
“The involvement of the MACC may be warranted as huge sums of money are involved and the people of Sarawak will be better assured if an independent party is tasked to carry out thorough investigations in this matter.”
Baru added it is a sad reflection of the decaying morals of man and society when individuals hide behind anonymity to make false accusations and portray perceived innocence.
Baru Bian, State PKR chairman