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Monday, August 10, 2020

Betty Chew shocked by arrest

Malaysiakini:

Didn't realise MACC was after me too, says a shocked Betty Chew

Malaysiakini

Betty Chew, the wife of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, said she is left shocked and dazed upon realising that she, too, has become a suspect in an MACC probe and is slated to be charged in court.

Chew claims she is still “struggling” to understand her arrest by the MACC in Penang last Friday and the allegations of money laundering made against her.

Instead, she claimed, she had assumed that when called in for questioning, the anti-graft body merely wanted to question her in relation to ongoing investigations against her husband in regard to the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

“Originally, I thought I was being summoned because of my husband’s case, without knowing that the person they wanted to get at was me.

“...I was informed that I will be arrested and may be charged under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. I was shocked.

“The whole process was tiring, every single finger of my left and right hand had to be imprinted on a form and my statement had to be recorded. Then a mugshot was taken of me on the front, left and right with a report number.

“Feeling dazed, I am now officially a money laundering accused,” Chew recounted in a Facebook posting today.

It was reported that Chew is not being investigated in relation to the tunnel project, but instead, her alleged involvement with a private company, Excel Property Management and Consultancy Sdn Bhd.

She is slated to be charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Amla) Act at the Sessions Court in Butterworth tomorrow.

Chew, a lawyer, questioned if legal or consultant fees she procured in the course of services rendered were being questioned.

“What offence did I commit for them to arrest me under the said Act?

“I live an ordinary lifestyle with honest earnings and do not indulge in any unlawful activities.”



Previously, in 2017, allegations were made that Chew was a director of Excel Property Management and Consultancy, together with businessperson Phang Li Koon (above).

Phang had previously been charged and acquitted over Guan Eng's bungalow scandal.

'Lim gives me love, not luxuries'

She also maintained her support for Lim, the DAP secretary-general and former Pakatan Harapan finance minister, who is also facing several graft charges of in relation to the Penang undersea tunnel project.

Lim has claimed trial to the charge of receiving personal gratification of up to RM3.3 million and another for soliciting bribes in connection with the same mega infrastructure project.

Lim’s wife maintained today that Lim is innocent.



“He is passionate in fighting corruption, giving me love not luxuries. With faith in God, we shall fight this successfully together.

“Adversity shall make our love stronger.”

DAP is claiming that the case against the Lim and his wife to be politically-motivated, with Chew’s father-in-law, Iskandar Puteri lawmaker and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has pleaded with the authorities to drop the case against the Chew.

Meanwhile, several lawyers with Harapan have called on authorities to ensure fair treatment is accorded to both Lim and Chew in the handling of the cases and during the trials.

The statement, signed by Senator Yusmadi Yusoff, Kebun Bunga assemblyperson Jason Ong and former Batu Uban assemblyperson VS Raveenthran, under the group Lawyers for Justice, said due processes free from “double standard” would help to ensure the rakyat that justice was being maintained.

“To us, justice is colour blind’ no matter the position, standing, what more, political understanding,” they said.

On Lim’s arrest, MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki told Malaysiakini recently that Lim was not the first politician to be detained overnight.

Other leaders included former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Umno Supreme Council member Azeez Rahim.


5 comments:

  1. Hey KT, put up that favorite picture of yours, the one with LKS shaking hands with MACC leaders with accompanying promises to pursue justice for TBH.

    I suppose LKS and MACC no more fren fren.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come on KT, let's have the photo, and a few harsh words for LKS dragging his feet on the TBH case.

      Especially since the double standards practiced by the MACC on LKS's Chye Chye ha ha ha (unless they have a proper rebut).

      If MACC can't even be fair over the way they treat Jibby and Guanee how can we expect them to be fair over TBH?

      QUOTE
      Why the personal attacks? Guan Eng asks MACC chief after the former pointed out double standards

      Monday, 10 Aug 2020
      BY R. LOHESWAR

      KUALA LUMPUR — DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng is perplexed as to why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki is taking personal jabs at him.

      Currently under investigation for graft, Lim said he was merely stating the obvious when he posted a comment on Facebook of having spent the night on a wooden floor during his one-day incarceration at MACC headquarters.

      During that time, Lim was asked to wear the orange clothing during investigations while former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not when he too was held overnight before.

      Lim then shared a clip of Najib in September 2018 when he told reporters that he (Najib) was not placed in an MACC lockup but was merely inside the MACC building and asked Azam why the double standards.

      “Why is the MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki behaving so personally against me as to challenge me to lodge a police report or take MACC to court for my comment on my Facebook (account)?

      “I had to change to the SPRM orange T-shirt and slept on the wooden floor in the small lock-up (no pillow, no mattress), unlike my predecessor who (did) not spend a single night in the lock-up.

      “Whether this is double-standards or not, only MACC can answer,” Lim said in a statement.

      Following Lim’s Facebook post, Azam was quoted in several news portals last Saturday challenging Lim to lodge a police report and take matters to court if he felt mistreated.

      This prompted Lim’s response today, to which he also accused Azam of trying to distract attention from his treatment by issuing challenges against an Opposition MP like him.

      “In my Facebook post, I did not comment on my treatment by MACC officers whilst in their custody on 6-7 August 2020. I only asked MACC why my predecessor was not given similar treatment as I was, by being placed in the lock-up (and) wearing the SPRM orange lockup T-shirt.

      “At no time was his (Najib) statement in September 2018 rebutted and corrected by Azam. Can Azam explain so we can seek truth from facts, in Azam’s capacity as the Chief Commissioner of MACC acting fairly and impartially, instead of trying to distract attention by issuing challenges against an Opposition parliamentarian like me?” Lim asked.
      UNQUOTE

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  2. It's an eye for an eye.
    Rosmah got charged with Corruption, so Betty Chew has to Kena as well.

    Carthage must be destroyed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. as long as u chooce to be involved in any biz, or become a director of whatever, the chance to persecute is pretty high. yes they need a chinese rosmah, nothing shock.

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  4. When buy house at "below-market" price it is corruption, when give legal services to a friend at "higher than market" price it is money laundering.

    Cannot win.

    The only time Betty laundered money was when Guanee left his wallet in his trouser pocket and it got into the wash...ha ha ha....

    ReplyDelete