SHAH ALAM, 12 Oct: Several leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) joined Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to speak out against the arrest of two individuals who have been linked to the former Prime Minister in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue campaign.
What is more surprising is that the former Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and the former Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, were also present at the press conference.
Also present was the Gua Musang Division Umno Chief, Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah; the former Umno Secretary General, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid; and the former MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
The press conference that was held at the Premier Leadership Foundation was related to the threat of the government abusing its power to detain the former Umno branch leader, Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, and his former secretary, lawyer Matthias Chang.
Both individuals were charged at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today for the offence of attempting a sabotage on the economy, finances and the Malaysian banking system.
Khairuddin was arrested after making a report to the authorities overseas, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States of America regarding the 1MDB issue.
They were charged in court for an attempt to sabotage the country’s financial and banking services and charges under Section 124L of the Penal Code that is read together with Section 34 of the same Act.
The prosecution was following their police report in France, England, Switzerland, Hong King and Singapore.
Khairuddin and Chang are now being detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) where trial under the Act must be done in the High Court, and they face 15 years in prison if convicted.
NS
