Tian Chua implicates Rosmah in illegal money transaction

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor (picture) and two Umno-linked corporate figures– Abu Sahid Mohamed and Syed Mohammed Syed Nusrin–are in the spotlight over allegations of illegal money transactions.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat Strategy Director Tian Chua claimed an individual sent RM600,000 to Rosmah through a money changer while she was in Dubai in August last year.

However, he said he was not sure what Rosmah did with the money, but he remarked that she could have used it for shopping as she was “famous for it.”

He told a press conference here that he had a certified letter from Bank Negara to prove that an unidentified individual had illegally transferred the RM600,000 into Rosmah’s bank account.

He claimed that the money transaction by Sahid, the executive chairman of Perwaja Steel, involved RM22.2 million sent to United Kingdom between June and August 2008 through money changer Salamath Ali.

Tian (picture) said the money was for the purchase of properties.

Sahid is also the chairman of both Kinsteel Bhd and the Maju Group of companies as well as the managing director of Maju Expressway Sdn Bhd.

Tian also said businessman Syed Mohammed Syed Nursin wired RM1.19 million to Britain through Salamath Ali, also for buying properties.

Syed Mohammed is the younger brother of new sugar tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

Tian said Bank Negara revoked Salamath Ali’s license as a money changer because he could not provide a valid reason for money transactions and for giving inaccurate information.

He called on Bank Negara to investigate the senders as well as the recipients “and not only the money changers,” saying he had copies of the show-cause letters the central bank sent to the money changers.

He claimed the money transactions were done through the Hawala system, a tight and secretive means of illegal remittance.

“Apart from being fast and easy, the system leaves no trace of the money trail,” Tian said.

Since early this month, Tian has been revealing the names of politicians allegedly involved in corruption and illegal international financial transactions.

On Nov 13, he claimed that Negeri Sembilan Mentri Besar Mohammad Hassan in 2008 remitted RM10 million to London through Salamat Ali Money Changer Sdn Bhd.

On Nov 24, when Lobak assemblyman Loke Siew Fook raised the matter in the Negeri Sembilan State Assembly, Hassan refused to respond or deny that the transaction took place.

FMT
17/12/09

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