State exco man Phee Boon Poh said he did not have RM2 million in the accounts as claimed and will sue newspapers that “published the false report”.
He claimed the false news reports were “an evil political conspiracy” against him and the Penang government.
“My family and I are shocked and angered to read false newspaper reports that RM2 million cash in my four personal bank accounts have been frozen by the MACC.
“It is wrong for such information to be disclosed or published in the press, especially when I have not been informed and only read about it in the BN-controlled newspapers.
“I have not been served with any notice by the MACC that my personal bank accounts have been frozen,” Phee said in a press conference in Komtar today.
Recently, mainstream newspapers reported that MACC had frozen four personal bank accounts belonging to Phee, over an ongoing probe into an illegal factory in Sungai Lembu near Bukit Mertajam.
The dailies quoted a MACC source, saying the agency was still investigating the case and recording statements from relevant parties over the controversial carbon filtering factory which allegedly had been operating without a valid permit for years and had caused environmental pollution.
Phee said his lawyers will file a notice of demand immediately to the newspapers “to protect my family, clear my name”.
Among the newspapers, he intends to sue are Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, The Star, Sin Chew Jit Poh and Guang Ming Daily.
Phee said his lawyer RSN Rayer had attempted to contact MACC to verify the freezing of his accounts, but to no avail.
“I reiterate that I am clean and free from corruption. I did not take any money from the unlicensed carbon filter processing factory in Sungai Lembu.
“Neither do my family or I have any personal interest in the factory nor are the owners of the factory related to me,” he said.
Phee, 66, was remanded by the MACC for three days before the High Court declared his five-day remand invalid on Aug 14. The MACC has since said that it will appeal against the decision.
Two other men involved in the case, a father and son aged 70 and 37, who are the owners of the factory, were also ordered released from remand by the court.
Phee has taken sick leave for a week and resumed his duties as executive councilor today.
The DAP assemblyman for Sungai Puyu is being investigated for using his office or position for gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.
If found guilty, he faces 20 years’ jail and a fine not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Phee’s arrest on Aug 11 followed a multi-agency operation carried out at the factory the day before.
The Department of Environment (DoE) found that the factory did not have a proper air pollution control system and was said to be operating illegally on agriculture land in Sungai Lembu.
The MACC, the immigration department, the DoE and the Inland Revenue Board jointly conducted the operation.
Besides the factory, the Seberang Perai Municipal Council’s licensing department was also raided by the MACC.
The anti-graft agency said it is investigating two letters allegedly written by Phee, asking that no action be taken against the illegal factory.
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