Labuan MP denies cheating allegations

LABUAN, Aug 13 — Labuan MP Datuk Yussof Mahal has denied that there was cheating, misappropriation or forgery in getting projects for his company as reported by newspapers, and regards the allegations as politically motivated.

He said the two projects mentioned —a market and school built at cost of RM24.8 million and RM10.5 million respectively — were given out through open tender.

"My company had offered the lowest prices for the projects. It is wrong for a company that offers the lowest price for a government project to be given the project and is then investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency?" he said in a statement to Bernama yesterday.

Yussof said the allegation by certain quarters that he had falsified documents to get bank loans for the projects were not true.

"I wish to state here that I have not falsified any documents.

"We must accept the fact that banks now have well-trained professionals and it is impossible that they failed to differentiate falsified documents from the original.

"Those who make such a baseless accusation should face justice and I will lodge a police report soon for action to be taken," he added.

On a sub-contractor named Eric (as reported) or his real name, Hazreeq Putra B. Asman, Yussof said the sub-contractor had come to see him to apply for sub-contract jobs as he was a Bumiputera sub-contractor.

"But I was forced to terminate his contract as he failed to complete the work even after three notices were given to him," he explained.

"My company will be taking legal action to claim the losses from Eric's company for failing to complete the project. On a personal level, I will also file a suit against him for defaming me and tarnishing my reputation."

Yussof sees raising the issue at a time when the Labuan Umno divisional elections were approaching was a political agenda of certain quarters as he had offered to contest the division's top post.

"I will also bring this matter up to the higher authorities for further investigation as there have been elements of conspiracy to topple me.

"To those who think that the threat would weaken my struggle and that of my friends are mistaken as it would only strengthen our resolve to champion the lot of Umno members and the people of Labuan," he said in the statement.

-TMI