Kambing jaga sireh

Kambing jaga sireh
by Raja Petra Kamarudin

How many of you know that, before he became the head of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Zulkipli Mat Noor, used to be the head of the Sabah Special Branch? This was in the days when Musa Aman, the present Sabah Chief Minister, was still just an up-and-coming politician and not yet walking in the corridors of power?

How many of you know that the head of the Anti-Corruption Agency, Zulkipli Mat Noor, has been accused of corruption and rape? On 28 July 1997, Zarina Mindra Binti Abdullah made a police report alleging that Zulkipli raped her. (The police report can be seen below). For Zulkipli to now continue as the head of the ACA tantamount to what the Malays would say, “Suruh kambing jaga sireh (asking the goat to guard the betel leaves).” The English have their own saying for this -- asking the fox to guard the chicken coop.

Just to digress a bit, do you know that Musa Aman is of Pashtun stock born from a Pashtun immigrant but somehow, along the way, he dropped his Pashtun birth-name and acquired a Malay name, which then gave him the eligibility to be called Malay and thereon become the Chief Minister of Sabah?

Anyway, back to our story of the day.

At the time when Zulkifli was the Sabah Special Branch Chief, Musa Aman was not yet in office and it was the former who brought the latter into USNO, the party in power in Sabah then. Musa Aman then went on to become USNO’s Treasurer. The deal was that, if USNO were to win the elections, Zulkipli will see to it that Musa Aman becomes the new Chief Minister of Sabah.

Unfortunately, however, USNO got kicked out by Haris Salleh’s Berjaya party while Musa Aman got defeated in his Sugut constituency. Nevertheless, Zulkipli and Musa Aman remained partners-in-crime and that is why, in spite of all the evidence and police reports made against Musa Aman, Zulkipli never pursued any of the allegations and until today Musa Aman continues to rape Sabah at will without a worry in the world. After all, if the ACA Boss is in your pocket, what is there to worry about?

“The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general, Datuk Zulkipli Mat Noor, should appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity to clear all doubts that he is qualified to continue to helm the Anti-Corruption Agency,” said Lim Kit Siang yesterday in Parliament.

“I will propose at today’s meeting of the Parliamentary Select Committee that Zulkipli be summoned to appear at an emergency meeting to respond to various serious allegations which had been made against him, ranging from corruption to sexual crimes, which must not remain un-rebutted, so as to salvage the credibility, legitimacy and authority of the ACA.

“If Zulkipli is not prepared to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee to establish his integrity in an emergency meeting, he must be removed as the ACA head. The Cabinet should put this item on the top of its agenda at its meeting tomorrow.”

“Malaysiakini yesterday reported these allegations which were filed last year by former ACA officer Mohamad Ramli Manan to the then inspector-general of police Mohd Bakri Omar. In the July 4, 2006 report, Ramli named the ACA chief - who is a former top cop - and referred to him as ‘B1.”

(The Malaysiakini report below)

Explosive allegations against ACA chief
Malaysiakini

Several explosive allegations, ranging from corruption to sexual crimes, have been made against Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor by one of its ex-officers.

The allegations were made in a report filed last year by former ACA officer Mohamad Ramli Manan to the then inspector-general of police Mohd Bakri Omar.

Ramli's 'first information report' - a complaint lodged with the police - was revealed by Movement for Democracy and Anti-Corruption (Gerak) chairperson Ezam Mohd Nor at a press conference in Kelana Jaya today.

(See the statement from Ezam below).

In the July 4, 2006 report, Ramli named the ACA chief and referred to him as 'B1'.

"As you are aware, B1 was a member of your police force and his last appointment there was as Sarawak chief police officer. It has come to the knowledge of the ACA that B1 was a very corrupt senior police officer and had amassed substantial property and assets through corrupt practices," he told Mohd Bakri in his report.

Zulkipli served in the police Special Branch for over two decades and rose through the ranks to become the organisation's chief. In 1996, he took over as police chief in Johor before being tapped as Sarawak police chief in 2000.

He was subsequently appointed ACA DG six years ago - the first police officer to have assumed the post.

Ramli claimed that in 1997 - when Zulkipli was Johor police chief - the ACA had then learnt that he was "in possession of properties disproportionate to his known source of income" and had indulged in "immoral and criminal" activities.

Sexual crime

Apart from this, Ramli also disclosed that the police had allegedly investigated Zulkipli in connection with a sexual crime following a report filed by a housewife with the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur.

Following this report, he said the housewife had also filed additional reports with the police in Negri Sembilan's Mambau and Kuala Lumpur's Segambut as well as Dang Wangi for alleged assault and use of criminal force.

"There were also evidence of interference by B1 in the course of the police investigation wherein witnesses were threatened not to cooperate," said Ramli.

Ramli also claimed that the ACA director-general owned several business interests and properties, including six houses in Pagoh, Johor.

He said the ACA learnt that the police had investigated Zulkipli for allegedly misusing government vehicles to carry out regular checks on these properties and business interests.

According to the report, these allegations were well-known in the police circle and several police officers had also offered evidence of B1's corrupt activities to the Police Royal Commission two years ago.

"As a senior ACA officer, I have to categorically state that B1's continued presence in the civil service, notably in ACA, whose main duty is to eradicate corruption, is a security threat to the country," the report added.

Ramli expressed hope that the police would launch a thorough investigation into the allegations.

In the final paragraph of his report, the former ACA officer stated that it was on record that he had informed the relevant authorities, including the organisation he had worked for, regarding these allegations since 2003. However, these were ignored.

"I have to state that this is my last act of national duty since I am going into compulsory retirement. The ACA being a very important public institution should be supported by all and sundry and see that it discharges its national duty in the best interest of the public and country," said Ramli, who retired soon after he filed the report.

The 'first information report' was also sent to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the attorney-general, the auditor-general and director-general of the civil service.

Extension of service

Contacted by malaysiakini this evening, Ramli confirmed that he had written the report.

Asked on the validity of the allegations, the 56-year-old former civil servant - who is currently based in Negeri Sembilan - said the police should investigate them.

At today's press conference, Ezam said a copy of the report was mailed by an unidentified individual to the Gerak office several weeks ago.

He said although his organisation did not meet Ramli, Gerak managed to verify the authenticity of the report from its own sources.

Commenting on the allegations, Ezam questioned why the premier had extended Zulkipli's tenure in 2005.

"There are enough grounds to be very suspicious of why the contract was extended when the allegations had surfaced years before," he said.

He urged the police to act immediately on the claims and for Zulkipli, who was appointed as DG in 2001, to be suspended pending investigations.

Ezam added that Gerak had hand-delivered a copy of the report to the Prime Minister's Department a few days ago.

Zulkipli could not be reached for comment.

Kegiatan rasuah Ketua Pengarah BPR dilindungi Bukit Aman?
Oleh Faisal Mustaffa

(Ezam's video recorded interview can be viewed here)

PETALING JAYA 26 Feb – Gerakan Demokrasi dan Anti Korupsi (Gerak) mendapati kegiatan rasuah yang dijalankan oleh Ketua Pengarah Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR), Dato Seri Zulkifly Mat Noor tidak sepatutnya diberikan sebarang kompromi malah beliau sepatutnya disiasat dan dihukum.

Zulkifly yang pada awalnya memegang jawatan sebagai Ketua Pengarah BPR pada April 2001 dan kemudiannya kontrak beliau disambung sebanyak dua kali selama dua tahun.

Sungguhpun satu laporan telah dibuat terhadap perbuatan rasuah yang serius, kontrak beliau kemudiannya disambungkan lagi selama dua tahun oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi.

Melalui maklumat yang disalurkan kepada Gerak, BPR telah pun membuat laporan kepada Ketua Polis Negara pada 4 Julai 2006 yang pada ketika itu disandang oleh Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar.

Namun, tidak ada sebarang siasatan dibuat oleh pihak polis.

Jenayah Rogol

Zulkifly didakwa terlibat dalam jenayah rogol seorang suri rumahtangga dan kes tersebut telah dilaporkan kepada polis. Berhubung dengan kes yang sama, mangsa rogol juga telah membuat tiga laporan polis yang didakwa menerima tekanan dan Zulkifly yang pada ketika itu Ketua Polis Johor telah menyalahgunakan kuasa beliau untuk menutup kes tersebut.

Harta Komersil

Menurut laporan yang dibuat oleh Pegawai Siasatan Gred 54 BPR kepada Bukit Aman, Mohamad Ramli Manan, Zulkifly juga memiliki beberapa harta komersil seperti Stesen Minyak Mobil di Bahau dan Pagoh serta memiliki enam buah rumah di Pagoh.

Zulkifly juga dikatakan telah menyalahgunakan kenderaan rasmi Kerajaan untuk menjalankan perniagaan peribadinya di stesen-stesen minyaknya.

Kontrak Pembinaan

Pada tahun 1997 hingga 1998, Zulkifly bersama Pegawai Polis Daerah Segamat, Hj Ithnin Hj Taha telah berpakat untuk berkongsi keuntungan RM1 juta hasil daripada kontrak pembinaan Kuarters Polis di Segamat yang bernilai RM18 juta dengan membatalkan kontrak pembinaan kepada kontraktor asal. Kontrak tersebut kemudiannya diserahkan kepada seorang gangster yang dikenali sebagai Michael.

Cuti Luar Negara Setiap Bulan

Laporan Mohamad Ramli juga mendedahkan bahawa sungguhpun Zulkifly menyandang jawatan Ketua Pengarah BPR, beliau masih menjalankan kegiatan rasuah beliau dengan menghabiskan masa cutinya ke luar negara setiap bulan dengan menggunakan Dana Perkhidmatan Rahsia BPR.

"Pada Disember 2004, Zulkifly didapati membawa teman wanitanya ke Australia yang mana kos perbelanjaan tersebut ditanggung sepenuhnya."

Kesalahan-kesalahan yang direkodkan terhadap Zulkifly tersebut termaktub di bawah kesalahan undang-undang seksyen 217 dan 218 Kanun Keseksaan dan seksyen 15 APR 1997.

Jenayah Serius

Gerak memandang serius perkara tersebut kerana dakwaan yang dinyatakan bersifat jenayah dan rasuah yang serius membabitkan orang nombor satu di dalam BPR.

Justeru, beberapa hari lalu, Gerak telah menghantar surat tersebut kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi secara tangan di pejabat Jabatan Perdana menteri di Putrajaya.

Dalam sidang media yang dibuat, Pengerusinya, Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor meminta Perdana Menteri melihat perkara itu dengan serius dan mengambil tindakan pantas kerana ia membabitkan kewibawaan BPR, Negara dan juga Perdana Menteri sendiri yang menyatakan keazaman membanteras rasuah dalam pentadbirannya.

Gerak juga meminta penjelasan diberikan sama ada pihak polis telah membuka fail siasatan untuk menyiasat semua dakwaan yang dinyatakan di dalam laporan Mohamad Ramli.

"Zulkifly sewajarnya tidak dibenarkan menjalankan tugas beliau sebagai ketua pengarah BPR sehingga siasatan selesai," ujar Ezam.

Menurut Ezam, kandungan surat tersebut menimbulkan kecurigaan terhadap kes-kes rasuah yang disiasat di bawah kelolaan Ketua Pengarah BPR sendiri dan ianya membawa implikasi besar kepada Negara kerana kebiasaannya kes-kes rasuah yang besar dan melibatkan orang kenamaan akan dikelolakan secara langsung oleh Ketua Pengarah BPR.

Justeru, Gerak mendesak agar sebuah Suruhanjaya diRaja dan bebas ditubuhkan segera bagi menyiasat kes membabitkan Ketua Pengarah BPR itu dan semua kes-kes lain yang di bawah bidang kuasa beliau sebagai Ketua Pengarah BPR bagi menjamin institusi sepenting BPR itu tidak disalahgunakan dan menjadi penghalang kepada usaha membanteras rasuah di Negara ini.




ADDENDUMS:

1) Let the law decide: ACA Chief

2) March 12 hearing for Zulkipli and Ramli

3) ACA Zulkipli must establish his integrity or be removed immediately

4) Kegiatan rasuah Ketua Pengarah BPR dilindungi Bukit Aman?