More allegations against Jawi rep
The out-of-court attrition between Nibong Tebal DAP divison chief Teh Hock Yong and the party leadership over graft allegations against Jawi assemblyperson Tan Beng Huat has gained fresh momentum.
Teh lodged a graft report at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in George Town against Tan on four counts of misuse of power and misappropriation of constituency allocations.
When contacted, however, Tan refuted the claims and accused Teh of carrying out a smear campaign to bring him down as an assemblyperson.
In his MACC report today, Teh alleged that Tan had twice misappropriated the state-allotted constituency funds.
Teh accused Tan of misappropriating RM2,000 for the Nibong Tebal-based ‘moral uplifting’ society, the Persatuan Amal Chin Chee Kok and another RM5,000 for a Chinese temple managed by Persatuan Dewa Tong Hai in Kampung Jawi.
In both instances, which took place over the last 14 months, Teh alleged that Tan had bought electrical appliances at a much higher price than the retail price.
In a move to rebut Teh’s allegations, Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng issued a statement clearing Tan of wrongdoing in disbursing the money to one of the bodies.
Lim said an internal audit by state finance officer Farizan Darus has found that Tan had spent the RM2,000 appropriately for Chin Chee Kok. Farizan had been assigned last week to investigate the claim, when Teh first brought up the matter.
Lim also said the South Seberang Perai district office had paid the money directly to the supplier, Syarikat Northern Victory Enterprise. The supplier has since submitted to the MACC all documents pertaining to the transaction.
‘Misuse of power’
Teh has also accused Tan of having misused his powers as an assemblyperson by demanding the removal of the MCA-linked members of village safety and development committees in Jawi.
This was alleged to have taken place in April last year, a month after Tan was elected to the state constituency and even before he took his oath of office on May 2.
Tan was further accused of influencing his constituents to attend a fund-raising dinner that he had organised, by showing them an official confirmation letter that the chief minister would attend the function.
“Tan has no right to publicly show an official letter from the CM’s office,” Teh claimed, adding that Tan had not publicly revealed the audited accounts of the event.
Denying that his allegations have arisen from a personal tiff, Teh said his actions were prompted by the need to “uphold the public interest and social justice”.
“I will bring the matter to the prime minister’s attention, if the case fails at the state level,” he said with obvious determination.
He later lodged a report at the Jalan Penang police station against DAP members who had held a protest against him in Nibong Tebal last night.
The members want the party leadership to take stern action against Teh, who is commonly addressed as ‘Sakura’.
Teh claimed that some of the banners displayed by the protestors were seditious and defamatory in nature.
Sources hinted that the DAP leadership will soon initiate disciplinary action against Teh for acting against the interests of the party.
Tan refutes allegations
Tan, 48, meanwhile, said he has already responded to Teh’s allegation on alleged misuse of power to the state legislative assembly, party leaders and the police when this was first raised last year.
“I don’t know why Teh has brought up the issue again when it had been settled long ago. I have nothing else to say about it,” said Tan, who joined DAP five years ago.
He also said he had submitted the accounts for the dinner to state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh, for independent auditing.
“I will reveal it once Phee has audited and returned the accounts to me,” he told Malaysiakini.
Tan said he would now recheck his records on the RM5,000 graft allegation to clear his position to the state government and party leaders.
Last week, the Tan had submitted an undated resignation letter to Lim, undertaking to vacate his seat should he be found guilty of the graft probe.
Tan, the Taman Berjaya DAP branch chief, has also vowed to file a defamation suit against New Straits Times over two articles, which he claimed to contain defamatory statements.
Jalan Bagan Luar DAP branch chief G Asoghan rapped Teh for backstabbing the party and attempting to force a by-election in Jawi.
“He should have first used the party channels to raise his grievances. Instead he went for MACC. It’s obvious there is a MCA link here.
“The party leadership should take firm action against Teh … perhaps get rid of him.”
Athi Veeranggan, Mkini
