‘Only 10 lorries carry Malaysian sand to Singapore’

The Star 22 Jan 10;

PUTRAJAYA: Only 10 lorries are transporting sand from Johor to Singapore daily — far less than the alleged hundreds, the Customs Department said.

Department deputy director-general (enforcement) Datuk Mohamed Khalid Yusof has set the record straight following statements that 500 to 700 lorries were involved in transporting sand to the republic daily.

He said the activity was not against the law as long as those involved possess valid documents. “This is the average figure we recorded daily from Jan 1 to 20. In fact, on certain days, no lorries carrying sand entered Singapore so the figure can even be less than 10,” he told reporters yesterday.

The number of lorries transporting sand to Singapore from Johor has become an issue of dispute.

Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said 500 lorries were involved in the activity, while Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad claimed that the number of lorries was higher, reaching 700 per day.

The former prime minister had said that Malaysia should stop the sale of sand to Singapore as the republic was using silica sand to make microchips.

Civil servants to be probed in sand theft case
The Star 22 Jan 10;

PETALING JAYA: Four more people were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday for alleged involvement in illegal sand-mining and smuggling.

The commission said in a statement that the latest arrests — three in Pahang and another in Johor — brought the number of people detained this week to 38.

It said all four were civil servants, bringing the tally of government officers detained to 28.

The others include two political aides, three businessmen and five members of the public.

The commission also said 20 people were placed under remand yesterday for a period of between four and seven days while the rest had been released on bail after their statements were recorded.

It is learnt that more arrests are expected within the coming days as investigations intensify.

On Wednesday, deputy chief commissioner Datuk Shukri Abdull announced that with the arrests in five states, it had smashed a syndicate smuggling sand into a neighbouring country.

He said the total amount of bribes traced so far stood at RM280,000 while three of those arrested had received sexual favours.

The bribes were meant as an inducement for the officers to approve or expedite approval of sand-mining permits and to refrain from taking action against those illegally mining or transporting sand.

In Putrajaya, the Kajang magistrate’s court issued a five-day remand order against nine suspects being probed in the sand theft cases.

The suspects are to be remanded until Monday.

Guilty civil servants in sand scam to face the music
The Star 22 Jan 10;

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said civil servants found accepting bribes or abusing power in connection with the mining and smuggling of sand out of the country must face the consequences of their actions.

However, he said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission should be allowed to complete its investigations into the 38 people arrested, including 28 government servants and two political aides.

“This is the job of the MACC, and I don’t know the details as they don’t report to me. If there is a case against those nabbed, it will be referred to the Attorney-General and taken to court,” Najib told Malaysian journalists here yesterday.

“If it can be proven that there was corruption or abuse of power, they will face the consequences. Until then, we will just have to wait for the probe to be over,” he said.

Najib said the Federal Govern-ment could not interfere in matters concerning sand mining as it came under the jurisdiction of state governments.

“Besides, Selangor is not under the ruling party,” he said.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Shukri Abdull had said on Wednesday that the 34 were nabbed in a series of arrests in Selangor, Johor, Perak, Pahang and the Federal Territory.

Several of the government servants were reputedly high-ranking officers, while the two aides were a private secretary and a special officer.

Bribes ranging from between RM500 and RM50,000 were allegedly given to the officers to approve or speed up approval of sand-mining permits, or to refrain from taking action against those illegally mining or transporting sand.

Shukri said the amount in bribes traced so far was RM280,000, with three of the officers arrested having also received sexual favours.

Only Three Types Of Sand Need Licence For Export
Bernama 21 Jan 10;

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Only silica, quartz and sea sand need licence for export, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department said on Thursday.

Department deputy director-general, Datuk Mohamed Khalid Yusuf, told reporters here today that river sand and sand from mining areas were not under the prohibited export conditions.

Two days ago, former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in his blog questioned whether sand sent to Singapore from Johor was ordinary or silica sand.

Asked about no need for a licence to export unlimited river or mining sand to Singapore for whatever purpose, Mohamed Khalid said the permission to do so was under other departments and not the Customs Department.

On the actual amount of sand exported to Singapore, Mohamed Khalid said: "For silica sand, the average quantity is 10 lorry loads a day. We can determine each type of sand exported. We have declaration forms."

-- BERNAMA

Aides among 34 held over sand smuggling
Farrah Naz Karim The New Straits Times 22 Jan 10;

PUTRAJAYA: In its biggest operations to date, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested 34 people linked to the illegal sale of sand to a neighbouring country.
Investigations revealed that the suspects received gratification in the form of sexual favours and cash to facilitate the sand-smuggling activities.

The operation intensified in the past two days when MACC officers picked up the suspects, comprising civil servants and civilians, from Pahang, Johor, Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Among those nabbed included two political aides, 24 civil servants including department heads and enforcement officers, and those from the private sector.

Several of the suspects were said to have received monthly pocket money and large one-off payments to "close an eye" on the activities.

More arrests were expected to be made.

Deputy chief commissioner Datuk Shukri Abdull did not rule out the possibility that more senior civil servants were among those who will be arrested soon.

"Operations are ongoing. We are helping the states concerned as we believe they had been losing millions of ringgit because of corruption," said Shukri.

All suspects are expected to be charged under Section 16 of the MACC Act which carries a maximum 20 years' jail sentence and a minimum fine of five times the value of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Shukri said investigations began in April. Several of the suspects had been placed under surveillance for several months before the MACC moved in on Tuesday.

They also seized RM50,000 from the suspects.

Investigations revealed that several suspects received between RM500 and RM50,000 in bribes from the syndicate.

Three of them were also suspected to have received sexual favours for expediting applications for sand-mining activities, as well as for not taking action against those found to be involved in smuggling.

The commission, he said, received 410 complaints last year on sand-smuggling activities.

The two-day operation was not without its drama.

At the Selangor State Secretariat building yesterday afternoon, a MACC team was involved in a two-hour standoff with staff who attempted to stop them from carrying out their duties.

The MACC team, led by Superintendent Prem Raj Victor, raided the office of a Selangor executive councillor where they confiscated documents related to sand-mining activities and summoned the exco's executive secretary to their headquarters for further questioning.

As they were leaving, a commotion broke out when an officer from the exco's office demanded that the MACC officers fill in the visitors' log book.

The standoff took place when the MACC officers refused to give in.

After lots of shouting and finger-pointing, the officers wrote their names on a piece of paper and gave it to the officials.

The executive secretary was then taken to the MACC headquarters, here.

Shukri said the commission would contemplate taking action against those who had obstructed its officers from carrying out their duties.

38 nabbed in crackdown on sand smuggling
The Straits Times 22 Jan 10;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's national graft-fighting watchdog arrested scores of government employees and business officials for allegedly accepting bribes and sexual favours to help smuggle sand out of the country, an official said yesterday.

The crackdown is the latest bid by the government's Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to repair its reputation, which took a big hit last year when an aide to an opposition lawmaker died under mysterious circumstances after being interrogated by anti-graft officials. A government-ordered inquest is investigating the death.

Opposition leaders have accused the MACC of using brutality against witnesses and suspects and failing to successfully investigate corruption cases.

The commission's new chairman took over on Jan 1 and pledged to restore its credibility. Commission officers have arrested 38 people - including political aides, civil servants and business officials - since Tuesday in a crackdown on illegal sand mining and smuggling in several states, a commission official said on condition of anonymity.

The suspects allegedly received bribes totalling RM280,000 (S$116,000) and 'sexual favours' to facilitate illegal sand mining and smuggling to a neighbouring country, the official said. The commission declined to provide details.

The suspects could be charged with bribery, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, the official said. More arrests are expected.

The crackdown began last week when the MACC arrested an irrigation department worker involved in sand mining, the official said. A court sentenced the man to five months in prison earlier this week after he pleaded guilty to receiving RM6,000 to help secure a permit to mine river sand.

Critics say the MACC has a low success rate in investigating and prosecuting cases. Some have also accused the commission of often targeting opposition politicians but officials have denied any bias.

ASSOCIATED PRESS