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No need to sack aide over support letter, says Anwar
4 hours ago
'Ainin Wan Salleh
The prime minister says any action against Shamsul Iskandar Akin should be based on the gravity of the offence and available evidence
4 hours ago
'Ainin Wan Salleh
The prime minister says any action against Shamsul Iskandar Akin should be based on the gravity of the offence and available evidence
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he has given a stern warning to his staff over the issuing of support letters, ‘and it should also serve as a lesson to others’. (PMO pic)
JOHANNESBURG: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended his decision not to dismiss his political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin, for issuing a letter of support for contractors involved in a hospital project.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said any action taken against Shamsul should be based on the gravity of the offence.
“Did it violate the law? Was the project approved based on his letter? No,” he told reporters on a flight en route to Johannesburg, South Africa.
He was responding to Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli’s statement that he should not merely reprimand, but sack Shamsul to show his commitment to fighting corruption.
New Straits Times had reported Anwar as telling the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday that he had reprimanded his political secretary as government regulations did not permit the issuance of such support letters.
Anwar had said he could only remark “please review” even for letters addressed to him and contracts could be scrutinised but not given “automatic” support.
He had said this during Minister’s Question Time in response to Perikatan Nasional’s Pasir Mas MP, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who raised the issue of Anwar’s political secretary listing six contractors in a support letter for an unspecified hospital project.
Rafizi said Anwar’s answer lacked “oomph”, given that the letter in question came to light last year, and health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had verified its authenticity.
He also urged Anwar to refer Shamsul to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to check when the letter was issued and if money had changed hands.
Anwar admitted that the letter did exist, but it was vaguely written and did not constitute an instruction to approve the suggested contractors.
He then said that Rafizi, who is the former economy minister, could be a bit hardline, “but even so, we must be consistent”.
“Don’t be the type who demands harsh action only against people we disagree with, and then go soft on those on our side,” he said.
“If you go after the small fries, you can be popular. But it doesn’t have the desired impact, especially when there is no compelling or incontrovertible evidence to justify a case against him (Shamsul).”
Anwar said he had encountered cases where staff overstepped their authority by issuing such support letters for projects.
“So, I have issued a stern warning to my staff, and it should also serve as a lesson to others,” he said.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said any action taken against Shamsul should be based on the gravity of the offence.
“Did it violate the law? Was the project approved based on his letter? No,” he told reporters on a flight en route to Johannesburg, South Africa.
He was responding to Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli’s statement that he should not merely reprimand, but sack Shamsul to show his commitment to fighting corruption.
New Straits Times had reported Anwar as telling the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday that he had reprimanded his political secretary as government regulations did not permit the issuance of such support letters.
Anwar had said he could only remark “please review” even for letters addressed to him and contracts could be scrutinised but not given “automatic” support.
He had said this during Minister’s Question Time in response to Perikatan Nasional’s Pasir Mas MP, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who raised the issue of Anwar’s political secretary listing six contractors in a support letter for an unspecified hospital project.
Rafizi said Anwar’s answer lacked “oomph”, given that the letter in question came to light last year, and health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had verified its authenticity.
He also urged Anwar to refer Shamsul to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to check when the letter was issued and if money had changed hands.
Anwar admitted that the letter did exist, but it was vaguely written and did not constitute an instruction to approve the suggested contractors.
He then said that Rafizi, who is the former economy minister, could be a bit hardline, “but even so, we must be consistent”.
“Don’t be the type who demands harsh action only against people we disagree with, and then go soft on those on our side,” he said.
“If you go after the small fries, you can be popular. But it doesn’t have the desired impact, especially when there is no compelling or incontrovertible evidence to justify a case against him (Shamsul).”
Anwar said he had encountered cases where staff overstepped their authority by issuing such support letters for projects.
“So, I have issued a stern warning to my staff, and it should also serve as a lesson to others,” he said.
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