A Facebook post by of a Sabah UMNO leader has sparked suspicion of a possible scene of political revenge on UMNO leaders involved in the state’s transition plan.

Chan Foong Hin, Sri Tanjong Assemblyman asked the MACC to investigate a Facebook post by UMNO Sepanggar Head Datuk Jumat Idris that read:

“Ketua bahagian pensiangan datuk ghani yassin diberitakan dibawa keputerajaya oleh sprm mungkin atas tudohan rasuah semasa menjadi timbalan pengerusi sldb. Ketua menteri pernah bercakap dengan saya hal ini. Mungkin kah ini tindak balas terhadap pelan peralihan ? Fail sepanggar pun diangkut ke jkm untuk diteropong cari so call wrong doing bagi mematikan semangat kami. Berani kerana benar takut kerana salah.”

“Pensiangan division chief Datuk Ghani Yassin was reportedly taken to Putrajaya by the MACC for the possibility of corruption during his time as the vice chairman of SLDB (Sabah Land Development Berhad). The Chief Minister has spoken to me about this issue. Is this a reaction to the transition plan? Even the Sepanggar files were taken to JKM to be scrutinized to find so called wrong doings to dampen our spirits. The honest are brave, the guilty are afraid.”

Chan said that if the post is true, then it would indicate a case of political revenge on the UMNO Pensiangan Chief for the transition plan of Sabah UMNO using allegations of corruption amounting to RM 300 million.

“I do not speculate and assume that the alleged individual was guilty. But it is beyond our imagination that, an UMNO divisional head who was former deputy chairman of a state agency, not even a YB, could be easily involved in a multi-million (ringgit) scandal.” Chan said.

Previous reports referred to an alleged meeting between 8 UMNO Sabah leaders with Najib Razak to dicuss a transition plan in the state’s leadership with the possible removal of Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

According to Chan, the 8 ‘rebels’ involved are Jumat Idris (Sepanggar), Abdul Ghani (Pensiangan), Bolkiah Ismail (Kudat), James Ratib (Beluran), Rubin Balang (Tenom), Sairin Karno (Keningau), John Ambrose (Penampang), Wetrom Bahanda (Kota Kinabalu).

Bolkiah Ismail and James Ratib had later dismissed talk of a “transition plan” but conceded that a meeting did take place. Jumat Idris said that there were no plans to overthrow Musa Aman and was quoted saying “…it’s normal in any organisation to pave the way for a smooth transition”.

Chan also highlighted subsequent comments on his post that “opened a can of worms” on relations between the ‘rebels’ and Musa Aman.

Amongst the comments were revealed information about Musa Aman calling Salleh Said a ‘coward’ who is ‘corrupt’; that Salleh is gathering Sabah UMNO divisional chiefs to topple Musa Aman; and cronyism and corruption on the part Musa Aman and his son. There were comments also saying that Musa and his son Hafiz Yamani were involved in many corruption cases that were “bigger” than Ghani’s case.

“Try to open the file for Bonggaya forest reserve and see who owns the 450000 acre?” said Jumat’s in one of the comments.

With the Sabah UMNO division “washing their dirty linen” online, Chan asked that the MACC investigate claims in the Facebook post including Abdul Ghani’s RM 300 million corruption scandal – not leaving out the serious allegations against Musa Aman and his son. -The Rocket