A Happy Ending for Developer in Melaka — You Cannot Make This Up!
I don’t really want to keep mentioning Malaysiakini, because I don’t want to keep pimping the site, even if it is a very good online comic. On the other hand, it’s rather easier to read than NST or Star. Anyway, today there’s a report about that housing developer guy in Melaka who made a police report against the former ADUN of Jasin[1] (it had to be Jasin, didn’t it?), regarding the return of a “donation” he made to UMNO Melaka and the Jasin division — after his approval permit to build houses on a swamp was revoked.
The latest is that he’s decided to rescind the police report after the former ADUN’s son agreed to give him back the money. Now, here are the salient points of the circus act:
- The developer claimed that the ADUN asked him to “contribute” to UMNO Melaka and UMNO Jasin a sum of RM 80,000 and RM 50,000 respectively in exchange for a contract to develop the swamp into a housing area. This was in 2003.
- Developer asked for receipt, but was not given — he paid in cash and and bank drafts …
- The Tsunami hit in December 2004.
- The development approval for the swamp was rescinded in 2005, so that the swamp can be a “zon penampan” — a defense zone I think — against tsunamis.
- Developer sends lawyer’s letters to the ADUN (cc-ed to the Prime Minister), asking for his money back. Former ADUN refused to reply.
- Developer met with former ADUN over Hari Raya and asked for his money back, but the former ADUN refused saying that he (former ADUN) is untouchable — because he is a former ADUN.
- Developer files police report in October 2007.
- Developer rescinds police report in November 2007.
The reason that the developer made the police report is, get this, “to inform the authorities that I have been cheated and do not want other people to say that my company is involved in corruption.”
Oh no! We don’t want people to think that paying off some politician dude in exchange for a contract is corruption. This is why we need a receipt for the transactions, duh!
The former ADUN, on the other hand, admitted to receiving the money on behalf of the two UMNOs, and said that it was a voluntary contribution by the developer as thanks for “previous development project approvals given by the state government.”
The former ADUN also questions the developer’s motive in raising this issue, stating (in the Bahasa Malaysia/Melayu version of the article) that “beliau tidak tahu menahu apa motif Lui membangkitkan perkara tersebut tetapi menyifatkan sebagai tuduhan berniat jahat[2].”
Anyway, turns out the from the developer’s perspective, it’s “all’s well that ends well” when the son of the former ADUN agreed to give him RM 130,000 back (not adjusted for inflation, obviously). The former ADUN said that he had no idea about any arrangements between his son and the developer and insists that there should be no reason to return any money back to that dude since it was a “contribution”.
The developer, on his part, hopes that no one views him askance for making the police report.
As for the Jasin MP, Dato’ Zakaria Mat Deros Dato’ Mohd Said Yusof[5] … well, he said that he has no idea what’s going on there but was compelled to mention that he heard that this story has been making the rounds in Jasin and surrounding areas. Well said, Dato’ Said!
[1] Well, Sungai Rambai, which I assume is a branch under the Jasin division.
[2] The “jahat” here one assumes is not the good kind like that associated with “papa”[3], but possibly more related to heinous acts most foul.
[3] If you don’t know what this refers to, then I’ll gladly inform you that it is a song by an artiste by the name of Cat Farish[4]. If you do know what it refers to … then you’ll know it’s very nice.
[4] No, not Farish Noor.
[5] Sorry, sometimes I can’t tell which is which.