Press Statement by DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bagan Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on 2.8.2012
DAP Calls On The Attorney-General And The Federal Government To Withdraw The Charges against Rafizi Ramli In Order To Restore Public Confidence In BN’s Commitment To Protect Whistleblowers And Expose Corruption As Well As To Promote Public Integrity And Leadership.
PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli, well-known for his recent exposés in the RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) “cows and condos” scandal, was arrested and charged yesterday over alleged violations of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA) in exposing banking details relating to the NFC scandal.
It is a fact that Rafizi’s exposés had led to the indictment of Dato’ Mohamad Salleh, NFC Chairman and husband of former Cabinet Minister and Wanita UMNO Chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, on two counts of criminal breach of trust and two counts under the Companies Act 1965 involving the purchase of luxury condominiums.
Dato’ Mohamad Salleh’s indictment has proven that without Rafizi’s exposé, no action would have been taken on this scandal involving RM250 million of public funds. If Dato’ Mohamad Salleh was not charged, then it is an entirely different story, but the fact that he now faces criminal charges proves that Rafizi had done the right thing by whistleblowing on this issue.
In other words, since there was a prosecution following Rafizi Ramli’s exposés of the NFC scandal, does it not justify his role in performing a public service as a whistleblower, and if so, should he not then be rewarded rather than punished for his actions?
Rafizi’s arrest brings back memories of my own case nearly twenty years ago when I was sent to prison for defending an underaged rape victim. Isn’t it ridiculous that none of the alleged rapists spent a single day in prison while the victim was detained and I was imprisoned for highlighting this injustice?
Therefore, DAP calls on the Attorney-General and the federal government to withdraw the charges against Rafizi in order to restore public confidence in BN’s commitment to protect whistleblowers and expose corruption as well as to promote public integrity and leadership.
—–Mandarin Version —
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2012年8月2日在吉隆坡发表声明：
民主行动党促请总检察长及联邦政府撤销对拉菲兹的控状，以让公众相信国阵立志保护吹哨人及揭发贪腐，也恢复公众对政府推广廉正领导的决心。
公正党策略总监拉菲兹，因最近揭发2亿5000万令吉“养牛公寓”丑闻而著名，他在昨天被控泄漏国家养牛公司账户资料，抵触《银行与金融机构法令》而遭逮捕和提控。
事实上，由于拉菲兹揭发这起金融丑闻，而让国家养牛中心主席及前内阁部长及巫统妇女组主席拿督斯里莎里扎的丈夫拿督莫哈末沙列被起诉，他涉及两宗刑事失信案及两宗因购买豪华公寓而抵触1965年公司法令。
拿督莫哈末被提控证明，若不是拉菲兹揭发此案，根本不会有人针对这起涉及2亿5000万令吉公款的丑闻采取行动。如果拿督莫哈末沙列没有被提控，那事情就不一样，但事实上，他现在面对刑事罪，证明拉菲兹在揭发这起案件方面做对了。
换句话说，既然在拉菲兹揭发丑闻后，有人被提控，证明他执行了公共服务身为吹哨人的角色，他应该被奖赏，而不是被惩罚。
拉菲兹被逮捕一事让我回想起我在20年前，为了维护一名未成年的强奸案受害者而入狱。当时，涉及强奸案的人士，至今为止没有任何一人坐过一天牢，受害者反而被扣留，而我因突出这起不正义的案件而入狱。这不是很荒谬吗？
因此，民主行动党促请总检察长及联邦政府撤销拉菲兹的控状，以让公众相信国阵立志保护吹哨人及揭发贪腐，也恢复公众对政府推广廉正领导的决心。
林冠英