Eric Chia acquitted?
I believe that… or something like that… is what everyone will be saying when they read the latest Malaysiakini news about Eric Chia’s acquittal. 13 years ago Eric Chia, while he was at the helm of Perwaja Steel, had been accused with embezzling RM76.4mil of public money by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporation, Japan, and authorising the RM76.4mil to be paid into the account of Frilsham Enterprise Inc with the American Express Bank Ltd, Hong Kong.
The Government believed they had a strong case and went ahead to press charges against Eric Chia in August 2004. The Malaysian public, for once, must have felt that at least there is a light at the end of tunnel as far as fighting graft is concerned. They were hoping this time a really big fish would have been netted for a disease that has been plaguing the country for so long but all these while only small fries are ever caught and punished, raising doubts among the public about the seriousness of the Government’s effort to curb corruption.
I am not a law expert so I can’t comment much on the technicallity of the court proceeding, but here are some of the responses by those whom I think understand the law scenarios better than yours truly.
Transparency International (TI) Malaysia president, Ramon Navaratnam:
We are concerned at the outcome for several reasons. For starters, why has it taken so long to come to this conclusion? If the case was weak, it should not have been taken up in the first place.Secondly, the acquittal might raise questions on the prosecution and investigation process. This can raise a lot of doubt amongst the public and those abroad.
Thirdly, for any individual to have a cloud over them for so many years is a terrible penalty to pay especially when they are innocent.
PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail:
Today, the mirage of implementing a clean-up of the system by Abdullah’s administration and to bring to book the excesses of the previous government has completely disappearedDemocracy and Anti-Corruption Movement (Gerak) head, Ezam Mohd Noor:
We have reasons to be alarmed with this acquittal because it involves high profile personalities and a large amount of money. We think something has to be done to make sure all the process of justice is properly carried out.Courtesy of Malaysiakini.
Is there really any hope for a Malaysia that is less corrupt?
Read [Star Online]
[tags]Eric Chia, corruption, graft[/tags]
1 Comment
The whole case was a sandiwara from the word go. AAB knew he had no case against Eric Chia because the latter had been able to cover his tracks so well, being a trusted crony of Mahathir. But to show the people that he would be “serious” in battling high-profiled corruption as he had pledged in his last GE campaign which won him an unprecedented 92% parliamentary majority, AAB had to put on a show to haul up both Kasitah Gaddam and Eric. Now that the prosecution had failed to prove a case of beyond reasonable doubt against the 2, the bodek mainstream media will of course go round and said AAB had carried out his pre-polls pledges and in due process of the law, had respected democracy in letting the accused go. On looking back AAB has pulled wool over the eyes of the people with this stinking sandiwara! He now has plans to conjure up sandiwaras revolving around the recent “feel good” factor to cheat the people once again of their votes in the next GE. Then its back to square one. Why are we complaining? Didn’t we always feel that Pak lah is always good? We get the govt we deserve, stinking as it always is!!!!!