Father of JJPTR founder at work but not reachable

JOHOR BARU: Despite talk of a RM500mil loss by Penang-based money game operator JJPTR, the father of founder Johnson Lee went to work as usual at Southern University College (SUC) here.

However, efforts to contact Lee Thean Chye were unsuccessful.

SUC vice-chairman Mok Chek Hou confirmed that Lee, an associate professor of Business Studies, was at work yesterday.

He said SUC had started an internal investigation into the matter and would be speaking to Lee today.

According to Mok, the investigation was headed by SUC principal and president Dr Thock Kiah Wah, who was in Kuala Lumpur to attend a meeting on higher education and is expected to be back today.

“He will speak to Lee to get a clearer picture of the matter,” he said, adding that the outcome of the investigation would be discussed at SUC’s next monthly meeting on May 5.

Lee also heads SUC’s Entrepreneurial and Finance Centre, as well as being SUC acting administration head, said Mok.

“We have not received any report from students said to be involved in money game activities. But we will investigate,” he said, advising against getting into such suspicious or illegal schemes.

SUC Alumni Assocation chairman Datuk Tan Meng Seng urged Lee to clarify the matter because it affected the university college’s reputation.

He said Lee had a responsibility to explain himself, as his son is the JJPTR company founder.

While the association remained neutral in this matter, Tan said he hoped that SUC could carry out the necessary probe as soon as possible and give an explanation to SUC’s stakeholders and the public.

“We fully support whatever action is taken by SUC to protect the university college’s reputation and the interests of its students,” he said.