KUALA LUMPUR: Some 15 Malaysia non-governmental organizations in Sepang protested at the Salak Tinggi Bus and Taxi terminal to demand an investigation into corruption allegations against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. The groups accused Ibrahim of having accumulated through illegal means some RM3 billion, accusations supported by former Bank Negara Assistant Governor Abdul Murad Khalid. The more than 100 representatives from 15 NGOs, included Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa), Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida), Sepang Silat Association, Kelab Sahabat, Persatuan Belia Tamil and the Sepang MAYC Veteran Association. They had started gathering in the early morning hours of Sunday carrying placards and banners, urging the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police to investigate the allegations. The case, which originated in 1999, has somehow been resurrected against the politician over his accumulation of a large amount of wealth. Over the past week, at least two key figures in the 13-year-old saga have offered to help the MACC should investigation into the case be reopened. Former Bank Negara assistant governor Datuk Abdul Murad Khalid, whose statutory declaration (SD) on Anwar's alleged control of 20 master accounts worth RM3 billion — dated Oct 26, 1999, and which ultimately prompted the then ACA to launch probes — in a statement earlier this week, stood by his SD and expressed his willingness to come forward again to assist in investigations. Ibrahim is no stranger to allegations and court cases against him. He has been acquitted of same-sex relations by a Malaysia court recently, on charges his supporters argue are trumped up and being publicized as a new election will be held later this year or early next. “These are ridiculous claims aimed at hurting his popularity ahead of the next elections," activist and Ibrahim supporter, Yussif Gandiri told Bikyamasr.com. On Wednesday, Ibrahim argued while debating the supplementary supply bill that the total amount of money was nearly 40 percent more than the original allocation in the 2012 budget, specifically pointing to the increase in sugar and toll subsidies as “ensuring the profitability of crony companies." “I am certain in this case, the profit to the crony companies is excessive," the opposition leader said of the RM343 million added to the initial RM446 million to subsidise tolls. He also said that as Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary's Tradewinds is one of two companies that control the local sugar market, the RM367 million added to the RM198 million allocated under the budget was not proportional to the actual increase in sugar prices. “We want to know who actually benefits from these subsidies. They say it's for the public. Show us what are the profits of these companies," the Permatang Pauh MP said. The opposition has previously questioned if the government is handing over the RM198 million allocated for sugar subsidies under the fiscal budget to politically-connected companies after nearly tripling sugar subsidies despite a dive in global prices over the second half of 2011.
