Taib: Dishonest MACC doesn’t deserve my cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) does not deserve his cooperation in regard to the exposé made by Global Witness.

“They [MACC] don’t deserve my cooperation because they have been naughty and dishonest with me.

“Let them investigate if they want to victimise me,” Taib said after attending the Barisan Nasional presidential council meeting at the PWTC here today.

Last month, foreign-based NGO Global Witness made a shocking exposé on the alleged corrupt practices involving those linked to Taib pertaining to the sale of native customary land in Sarawak.

In the video documentary, Global Witness posed as a foreign investor seeking to buy land for oil palm plantations in Sarawak.

The ensuing interviews, caught by a hidden camera, detailed how the sale process would be handled, how the natives would be dealt with, taxes avoided and how “personal kickbacks” would allegedly be paid to Taib.

Asked whether the video had tarnished his image in Sarawak, Taib replied in the negative, saying that the exposé was not in tune with what Sarawakians wanted.

‘They don’t care’

Meanwhile, Taib took a subtle swipe at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak-led Barisan Nasional when he said the coalition had a short memory.

When asked if the various allegations of power abuse and corruption had turned him into a liability for BN, Taib said: “What liability?

“I won the Sarawak state election with two-thirds majority and they [BN] don’t care about it. “Besides, I’m confident BN can win the state’s parliamentary seats as well.”

Taib was alluding to the 2011 state election when he swept aside Najib’s scorn and Umno and BN’s humiliating presence in the run-up to the the polls and delivered 55 out of 71 seats.

Most importantly, his Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu party retained all its 35 seats, putting Umno to shame. Umno fared badly in the 2008 general election.

Yesterday, Taib declared that Sarawak BN will deliver at least 23 parliamentary seats to help Najib’s return to Putrajaya.