Scuffle as disabled farmer tries to lodge MACC report
Nigel AwPublished: Mar 15, 2012 8:01 AM | Updated: Mar 16, 2012 12:10 AM
An attempt by disabled farmer Frusis Lebi to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was met with a scuffle as guards prevented his group from entering the Sultan Iskandar building in Kuching.
An attempt by disabled farmer Frusis Lebi to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was met with a scuffle as guards prevented his group from entering the Sultan Iskandar building in Kuching.
In a posting on Twitter, Padungan assemblyperson Wong King Wei said the group was prevented from entering the building, which houses the MACC headquarters in Kuching, on grounds that the representatives accompanying him bore the DAP logo.
"I was pushed and stopped by a security guard at the main entrance of Bangunan Sultan Iskandar.
"The main door was even closed to the DAP members and the public.
"Why? When I asked them, a person in charge said it was because the logo is prohibited, the rocket logo," he said.
Also with Frusis (left) were Batu Kawah assemblyperson Christina Chew and Sri Aman DAP branch chief Leon Jimat Donald.
When contacted, Leon said the incident occurred about 10.30am, when members of the group were allegedly "manhandled" after insisting on entering the building to lodge a report with MACC.
"One of the guards pushed me in the shoulder and shoved us out of the door, telling us to stay outside," he said.
The group, he said, were only allowed in the building with an escort after more than 15 minutes of heated argument.
"We wanted to lodge a report but when we met the officer, he said that they have taken upon themselves to investigate the matter, there was no need for an additional report," related Leon.
The report concerns alleged abuse of power by Sarawak Agriculture Modernisation assistant minister Mong Dagang who had admitted that he ordered Frusis’ agriculture subsidies to be discontinued for supporting the opposition.
Leon slammed Mong’s boss, PRS president James Masing and the party’s Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat, who oversees the constituency where Frusis lives, for defending the alleged abuse of power.
“How can they claim he is earning more than enough? That is hearsay. Frusis’ vegetables have been left unattended for the past few months because of the rainy season... as a vegetable seller, he has no income now,” he said.
Leon added that claims that Frusis was earning enough were contradictory as Frusis had qualified for the BR1M assistance.
'Over RM10,000 collected'
Meanwhile, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, who had launched a seven-day donation drive for Frusis on March 8, when contacted, said more than RM10,000 had been collected from the donation drive.
Teo (left) said the exact amount from the drive which ended yesterday will be published soon, but pointed out that it had been very successful despite only being publicised on the Internet as the five-figure threshold was broken within four days into the campaign.
“This proves that ordinary Malaysians are more caring towards the poor and needy than the BN administration.
“This also proves that although being labelled as ‘hooligans’, most of the Internet users are logical and rational. They know how to make use of this platform for constructive use and to benefit our fellow Malaysians,” she said.
The statement of accounts for the donation drive will be published next week, she said.
Adding that this episode is far from over, Teo said Mong must resign for his actions and called for the immediate reinstatement of Frusis’ farming subsidies.
In a posting on Twitter, Padungan assemblyperson Wong King Wei said the group was prevented from entering the building, which houses the MACC headquarters in Kuching, on grounds that the representatives accompanying him bore the DAP logo.
"I was pushed and stopped by a security guard at the main entrance of Bangunan Sultan Iskandar."The main door was even closed to the DAP members and the public.
"Why? When I asked them, a person in charge said it was because the logo is prohibited, the rocket logo," he said.
Also with Frusis (left) were Batu Kawah assemblyperson Christina Chew and Sri Aman DAP branch chief Leon Jimat Donald.
When contacted, Leon said the incident occurred about 10.30am, when members of the group were allegedly "manhandled" after insisting on entering the building to lodge a report with MACC.
"One of the guards pushed me in the shoulder and shoved us out of the door, telling us to stay outside," he said.
The group, he said, were only allowed in the building with an escort after more than 15 minutes of heated argument.
"We wanted to lodge a report but when we met the officer, he said that they have taken upon themselves to investigate the matter, there was no need for an additional report," related Leon.
The report concerns alleged abuse of power by Sarawak Agriculture Modernisation assistant minister Mong Dagang who had admitted that he ordered Frusis’ agriculture subsidies to be discontinued for supporting the opposition. Leon slammed Mong’s boss, PRS president James Masing and the party’s Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat, who oversees the constituency where Frusis lives, for defending the alleged abuse of power.
“How can they claim he is earning more than enough? That is hearsay. Frusis’ vegetables have been left unattended for the past few months because of the rainy season... as a vegetable seller, he has no income now,” he said.
Leon added that claims that Frusis was earning enough were contradictory as Frusis had qualified for the BR1M assistance.
'Over RM10,000 collected'
Meanwhile, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, who had launched a seven-day donation drive for Frusis on March 8, when contacted, said more than RM10,000 had been collected from the donation drive.
Teo (left) said the exact amount from the drive which ended yesterday will be published soon, but pointed out that it had been very successful despite only being publicised on the Internet as the five-figure threshold was broken within four days into the campaign.“This proves that ordinary Malaysians are more caring towards the poor and needy than the BN administration.
“This also proves that although being labelled as ‘hooligans’, most of the Internet users are logical and rational. They know how to make use of this platform for constructive use and to benefit our fellow Malaysians,” she said.
The statement of accounts for the donation drive will be published next week, she said.
Adding that this episode is far from over, Teo said Mong must resign for his actions and called for the immediate reinstatement of Frusis’ farming subsidies.
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