Vendetta and abuse of power in Sabah
M KrishnamoorthyPublished: Jan 18, 2014 1:47 AM | Updated: Jan 18, 2014 4:10 AM
REVIEW Nothing much has changed in Malaysia - abuse of power continues without accountability as the nation’s debts keep snowballing.
A newly launched book yesterday, ‘Vendetta and Abuse of Power’ chronicles the injustices suffered by late Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed Albukhary who was once political adviser to Mustapha Harun, Sabah’s first chief minister.
The 800-page book narrates a 34-year quest for justice firstly by Syed Kechik and later (after his demise) by his younger brother, Syed Salem Albukhary, uncle of billionaire Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. Syed Kechik is not only uncle to Syed Mokhtar, but is also his father-in-law.
REVIEW Nothing much has changed in Malaysia - abuse of power continues without accountability as the nation’s debts keep snowballing.
A newly launched book yesterday, ‘Vendetta and Abuse of Power’ chronicles the injustices suffered by late Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed Albukhary who was once political adviser to Mustapha Harun, Sabah’s first chief minister.
The 800-page book narrates a 34-year quest for justice firstly by Syed Kechik and later (after his demise) by his younger brother, Syed Salem Albukhary, uncle of billionaire Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. Syed Kechik is not only uncle to Syed Mokhtar, but is also his father-in-law.
In the opening title page of the book, author Shaari Isa cites those elected to public office and have acted ultra vires or in mala fide of their powers with intent to harm fellow citizens are in flagrant violation of their oath of office.
“When such persons in the cloak of their elected positions act in derogation of the intent of the constitution and intentionally erode the fundamental rights and liberty of the people they swear to protect, they will destroy this nation we love and cherish.”
How appropriate to the rumblings of allegations of corruption and abuse of power in high offices today.
The book details the long drawn legal on how Syed Kechik became the target of a vengeful political ploy by former Sabah chief minister Harris Salleh.
Syed Kechik’s opponents branded him as an outsider ravaging Sabah’s timber resources. He was also accused of manipulating the then Sabah’s de facto ruler Mustapha for his personal enrichment.
The Berjaya’s battle cry to have him expelled from Sabah in 1975-1976 was surreptitiously led by the head of state, then Fuad Stephens, and openly spearheaded by Harris.
A barrage of slanders and efforts on character assassinations were leveled against Syed Kechik. He was vilified as Sabah’s number one public enemy.
The Berjaya state government quickly removed him from his job as the first and only honorary director of Sabah Foundation which he was instrumental in establishing.
He was subsequently relieved of all official positions. They even attempted to strip him off his permanent resident status in Sabah as well as his Datukship award.
Appropriation of prime development land
The vendetta, according to the book continued when the Sabah government cancelled a special timber licence granted to Syed Kechik’s nominee company.
The state government appropriated 2,453 acres of prime development land which was purchased by Syed Kechik’s company. The compulsory acquisition of this property was ostensibly was made for public purposes but was not put to complete use for over 20 years.
A disparaged and devastated Syed Kechik left Sabah in 1977 to pursue his new business in peninsular Malaysia.
The land acquisition let to a 34-year litigation saga which carried on under 10 successive state governments.
The quest for justice encountered yet another conspiracy to frustrate Syed Kechik when the state government arrogantly refused to comply with the court’s order for the payment of the duly adjudged land compensation for lost of property.
However, his brother Syed Salem Albukhary persevered and continued the judicial battle towards arriving at an out-of-court settlement with the Sabah state government.
In one of the forewords among two others, former justice of High Court Syed Ahmad Idid said the book “is more like an epic if the movie-maker directors wish to capture the beguiling intricacies on the silver screens of the destiny of Man - in this case, the destiny of two brothers and their abrasion with a powerful state authority and its apparatus including the country’s judicial service. Vendetta here meant a prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful and hostile acts.
“This book is also a meticulous and brilliant piece of analysis of litigations in which a party had to endure trials and tribulations during their journey in the quest for justice while perpetuating their honour and good name.
“I hope the better faculties of law and respected scholars will similarly examine other cases and judgments and so help the disadvantaged and the community to achieve the proper standard of fairness from courts and the government.”
The book was launched yesterday by former minister Rais Yatim.
M KRISHNAMOORTHY is a freelance journalist and local coordinator for CNN, BBC and several other foreign television networks. He was formerly a journalist with The Star and New Straits Times and has authored four books.
A newly launched book yesterday, ‘Vendetta and Abuse of Power’ chronicles the injustices suffered by late Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed Albukhary who was once political adviser to Mustapha Harun, Sabah’s first chief minister.
The 800-page book narrates a 34-year quest for justice firstly by Syed Kechik and later (after his demise) by his younger brother, Syed Salem Albukhary, uncle of billionaire Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. Syed Kechik is not only uncle to Syed Mokhtar, but is also his father-in-law.
In the opening title page of the book, author Shaari Isa cites those elected to public office and have acted ultra vires or in mala fide of their powers with intent to harm fellow citizens are in flagrant violation of their oath of office.“When such persons in the cloak of their elected positions act in derogation of the intent of the constitution and intentionally erode the fundamental rights and liberty of the people they swear to protect, they will destroy this nation we love and cherish.”
How appropriate to the rumblings of allegations of corruption and abuse of power in high offices today.
The book details the long drawn legal on how Syed Kechik became the target of a vengeful political ploy by former Sabah chief minister Harris Salleh.
Syed Kechik’s opponents branded him as an outsider ravaging Sabah’s timber resources. He was also accused of manipulating the then Sabah’s de facto ruler Mustapha for his personal enrichment.
The Berjaya’s battle cry to have him expelled from Sabah in 1975-1976 was surreptitiously led by the head of state, then Fuad Stephens, and openly spearheaded by Harris.
A barrage of slanders and efforts on character assassinations were leveled against Syed Kechik. He was vilified as Sabah’s number one public enemy.
The Berjaya state government quickly removed him from his job as the first and only honorary director of Sabah Foundation which he was instrumental in establishing.
He was subsequently relieved of all official positions. They even attempted to strip him off his permanent resident status in Sabah as well as his Datukship award.
Appropriation of prime development land
The vendetta, according to the book continued when the Sabah government cancelled a special timber licence granted to Syed Kechik’s nominee company.
The state government appropriated 2,453 acres of prime development land which was purchased by Syed Kechik’s company. The compulsory acquisition of this property was ostensibly was made for public purposes but was not put to complete use for over 20 years.
A disparaged and devastated Syed Kechik left Sabah in 1977 to pursue his new business in peninsular Malaysia.
The land acquisition let to a 34-year litigation saga which carried on under 10 successive state governments.
The quest for justice encountered yet another conspiracy to frustrate Syed Kechik when the state government arrogantly refused to comply with the court’s order for the payment of the duly adjudged land compensation for lost of property.
However, his brother Syed Salem Albukhary persevered and continued the judicial battle towards arriving at an out-of-court settlement with the Sabah state government.
In one of the forewords among two others, former justice of High Court Syed Ahmad Idid said the book “is more like an epic if the movie-maker directors wish to capture the beguiling intricacies on the silver screens of the destiny of Man - in this case, the destiny of two brothers and their abrasion with a powerful state authority and its apparatus including the country’s judicial service. Vendetta here meant a prolonged series of retaliatory, vengeful and hostile acts.
“This book is also a meticulous and brilliant piece of analysis of litigations in which a party had to endure trials and tribulations during their journey in the quest for justice while perpetuating their honour and good name.
“I hope the better faculties of law and respected scholars will similarly examine other cases and judgments and so help the disadvantaged and the community to achieve the proper standard of fairness from courts and the government.”
The book was launched yesterday by former minister Rais Yatim.
M KRISHNAMOORTHY is a freelance journalist and local coordinator for CNN, BBC and several other foreign television networks. He was formerly a journalist with The Star and New Straits Times and has authored four books.
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