Malaysia Update

PUTRAJAYA: The Umno disciplinary board has yet to submit 900 reports of alleged money politics during the recent Umno divisional and branch meetings to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

A member said the board had to be thorough in its probe into the allegations.

"We have our way of conducting investigations and they (the cases) may not need the MACC's attention," he said

Asked if this meant that none of the 900 cases would go before the commission, he declined comment saying that board chairman Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen would be the right person to speak on the matter.

Tengku Rithauddeen, who is returning from abroad today, is expected to issue a statement on the matter.
The board member's statement comes in the wake of party leaders urging the party to address alleged cases of graft before elections in March so that those implicated could be stopped from contesting party positions.

Last month, Tengku Rithauddeen issued a six-page document to the media containing the dates of meetings of the investigation panel, tribunal and appeals panel.

He had added that the documentary evidence was proof that the board had not delayed investigations.

Tengku Rithauddeen had said that the investigations panel met 39 times to look into cases involving 39 divisions while the tribunal met 10 times to hear cases involving 25 divisions.

Edited From NST 21 Jan 09