What is keeping the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) from launching an investigation into the colossal gambling debts incurred by former Sabah chief minister Osu Sukam?

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang demanded an answer for this today.

He said the agency's director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor must explain what is preventing him from probing how Osu had amassed such an astronomical wealth that allowed him to blow tens of millions in casinos abroad.

"Is he waiting for the green light from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?" he asked in a statement.

Osu made local and international headlines when it was revealed that he had gambled RM158.7 million, lost RM31.6 million and chalked up a debt of RM7.1 million in just seven months.

Following this, he resigned as the Papar Umno division chief.

Passing the buck

Lim quoted Zulkifli as saying last month that ACA will investigate any Umno leader suspected of being involved in money politics, even in the absence of a report, should there be 'sufficient basis'.

"Is he seriously suggesting that the massive gambling debts of Osu in London and Australia a year after political retirement is not 'sufficient basis' for a full-scale investigation?" asked the veteran politician.

"Hasn't the ACA got 'sufficient basis' to act based on his four declarations of assets, first as deputy works minister in 1986, federal minister for land and co-operatives in 1994, Sabah deputy chief minister and finance minister in 1998 and chief minister from 1999-2001," he added.

Lim also took a swipe at Sabah ACA director Shukri Abdull, who said the state headquarters had sent press cuttings on the issue to the federal headquarters here.

"It is pathetic that Sabah ACA has been reduced to a PCA - press cutting agency. This is a classic case of passing the buck," he added.

Other questions

Terming an investigation into the matter as 'indispensable', Lim said this was because it extended beyond a case of human failure.

It is the institutional failure of a system of integrity involving anti-corruption laws, agencies and codes of conduct, he added.

He said important lessons can be learnt from the probe to avoid the recurrence of a similar controversy in future.

The opposition leader also said that the Osu saga raised several other questions:

  • Are there any other senior politicians or civil servants who are members of any casinos overseas?

  • Are there any other senior politicians or civil servants who regularly visit casinos?

  • Who was the casino member who proposed Osu's membership of London's Ritz Hotel Casino on July 8, 2000 when he was still chief minister?

  • Did he use his chief minister title to help secure the membership?

  • Which are the other casinos in London, Australia or any other foreign country where Osu had gambled, owed debts and was a 'high-roller' member?

Meanwhile, Lim also said he would motion for a RM10 pay cut for the ACA director-general during the Parliamentary budget meeting in October if an investigation is not launched.