Penang MIC Youth has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today against Sri Delima DAP assemblyperson RSN Rayer for alleged corruption and abuse of power.

Speaking to reporters earlier this morning, state MIC Youth chief J Dhinagaran said he was lodging three reports over a microwave oven sent as a gift to a government department and another on an abuse of power by Rayer.

He stressed that he was also lodging a report against Rayer for "wielding his political influence” and directing the assistant treasurer of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board to retract a report of theft against another staff.

NONEDhinagaran claimed that Rayer (left) had given a microwave oven to the Penang Northeast District office, adding that the assemblyperson's special assistant S Sivalinggam - the latter's uncle - was allegedly involved in allocating funds to a relative.

"I have handed over the letter from one Rahman Mohd Zainal on funds allocated to the relative, and the letter from Rayer confirming that he had contributed the microwave oven to the department," said Dhinagaran before entering the MACC branch office along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

"I cannot go into the details of the report as I have to allow the MACC to conduct its own investigations," he said.

According to Dhinagaran, Rahman - a Pakatan Rakyat supporter - had written to DAP leaders alleging that Sivalinggam had misused state education funds by allocating RM6,000 to his relatives with Rayer's knowledge.

On the microwave oven, Dhinagaran said that Rayer had sent a letter to the District Office, admitting that he had presented the gift to the department.

In a press conference on March 12 to dismiss the allegations, Rayer had insisted that the oven was a "personal gift" to the office and not to any particular person for a return of favour, stressing that he had used his personal money, not from any funds to purchase it.

On the RM6,000 allocation, Rayer claimed that it was for a two-year period (2008 and 2009) to a female student, who incidentally happens to be his distant relative, adding that she was a "needy person and qualified” for the fund.

‘The process was transparent’
    
He said that the process to allocate the money to the student was done in a transparent manner.

He, however, strongly refuted Dhinagaran’s claims that he had allotted another RM3,000 to another relative.

On allegedly intervening in the Penang Hindu Endowment Board's affairs, Rayer had clarified that the staff involved in pocketing about RM10,000 from temple funds while it was being counted, had apologised and returned the money.

NONEWhen contacted today about the MACC report, Rayer said he had issued a legal notice to Dhinagaran - which has yet to be served on him - and that a 24-hour warning for the latter to apologise, retract his statement and pay damages to him, has lapsed.

Meanwhile, Dhinagaran (left) expressed his disappointment with the state DAP leadership for failing to reprimand Rayer for his alleged actions.

"Maybe Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is afraid of offending Rayer, who is the blue-eyed boy of DAP chairperson Karpal Singh," claimed Dhinagaran.

"I once had high respect for Karpal, who had consistently stood his ground on controversial issues with PAS, but he has become weak when it concerns his proteges. As a right-thinking politician, Karpal should have censured Rayer for his waywardness," he stressed.

"I believe that the state DAP leaders are all in the election mood that they are not bothered about these abuses of power."