Umno can be charged for money laundering

YOURSAY 'And why must the money be smuggled? Why can't the money be sent via normal bank transactions, like TT (telegraphic transfer)?'

'RM40mil smuggled cash not for Musa but for Sabah Umno'

Onyourtoes: I think Minister in the PM's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz has just said it is legal for Umno Sabah to accept corrupt money. Which nincompoop would want to give Umno RM40 million if Umno is not in power in Sabah?

This is ridiculous to the core, almost comical. If the money is really for Umno, why do you need a Chinaman to carry the cash. Obviously whoever who was calling shot did not want Umno to know too much. And surely a crony Chinaman would be easier to deal with.

Can we see the common thread here? A deputy minister was caught with money banked into his personal account; he then claimed the money was for welfare work for his constituency.

Now this, when caught, the money is for Umno. Where is Registrar of Societies (ROS), how come it never check Umno's account?

James1067: Whether they are for Sabah CM Musa Aman or Umno, a crime have been committed. Nazri, are you saying that Umno should be facing money laundering charges?

Slumdog: If anybody believes Nazri's explanation, then they must also believe in fairies and Santa Claus.

If the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged Musa's crony and alleged bagman Micheal Chia with money laundering and trafficking, why is Nazri saying the money was political donation to Sabah Umno?

If it was political donation, why did Chia have to try and smuggle the money into Malaysia? Hasn't he heard of the legal channels to transfer money?

Vgeorgemy: Is Nazri saying the money was a foreign contribution to Umno? So when it comes to Umno, it is legal. What a tragedy.

Muak: Smuggled cash? If it's for Umno, why need to be smuggled?

Lover Boy: Actually why are you getting a Chinaman to lug so much cash for this Malay-based party? Answer - If we get a Umno man to do the job, we might not see any of the money at all.

Geronimo: One can verify the authenticity of the transaction by going through past records - is it a trend for a state Umno body to receive RM40 million or whatever sum?

And why must the money be smuggled? Why can't the money be sent via normal bank transactions, like TT (telegraphic transfer)?

Longyan Ren: "Hong Kong ICAC took no further action in the case after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commisstion (MACC) finding, while the request for cooperation in a criminal matter lodged over the Swiss bank account has been withdrawn for the same reason."

What more need be said - isn't it crystal clear why there is ‘no further action'?

OMG: Suaram is being harassed by the authorities for a pittance. RM40 million is clearly an obscene sum to pay to the ruling party. The injustice of it all is blatantly clear.

Guardian: After four long years, the government investigative bodies only found that the money belongs to Umno Sabah and not Musa Aman.

The public wish to know why it took four long years? Is it so difficult to ascertain the true owner of the money?

Do we need another four long years to know why Sabah Umno's money has got to be in Hong Kong and illegally transported into Sabah in Singapore dollars denomination?

Why is Sabah Umno behaving like a church mouse when these questions have been asked umpteenth times? Is Musa Aman not the head of Sabah Umno?

The rakyat want to know, where is the transparency and why the truth is not forthcoming? Who is this Michael Chia?

The police, RTM, Utusan Malaysia, Star, New Straits Times and various agencies should interview this timber tycoon to get to the bottom of this charade.

Gunner: This raises more questions than answers. Who are the donors and from where? Are they foreigners? And why are foreigners donating to Umno?

Myop101: Is the money from or paid for legitimate reasons? That's the pertinent question. It doesn't matter if it is paid to the Sabah CM or Umno Sabah.

After all, it is not a crime to donate money to a political party and a mere telegraphic transfer is cheaper, faster and safer than carrying so much cash.

Nplaypuks: What proof is there that it was for Umno and not Musa Aman? Who gave evidence - that honest Joe, Michael Chia?

Isn't Musa Aman also head of Umno Sabah? Even then, is it not money laundering in Malaysia? What is the source of these "donations" and why was it necessary to bank it in Switzerland?

Jaded: This is probably the tip of the iceberg. For every case that is exposed, there are probably a lot more that went undetected.
Maybe after four years, they will decide to do something and by that time, the CM would have retired or migrated and this will be another distant memory swept under the carpet just like the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and many other scandals.

It shows how arrogant the current ruling party is.

Karma: No matter what, it appears that Umno receives foreign funds, while at the same time they said it was wrong for Suaram and Malaysiakini to do so.

Changeagent: Poor Michael Chia, having to lug all this extra cash and weight around Hong Kong International Airport.

But why do money transfers through banks when you can do it the Umno way - carry lots of cash in your pocket and luggage?

It's definitely a good way to upset the apple cart and confuse the plot - make a contribution to the Sabah Umno liaison body that is 'supposed' to be above-board into something that looks questionable, dodgy and highly suspicious.

It looks like money laundering, smells like money laundering, but it is not money laundering.