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DAP acts swiftly to sack councillor Tee Boon Hock
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Saturday, 31 July 2010 22:39
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 PETALING JAYA - The DAP has decided to sack Klang municipal councillor Tee Boon Hock (right), for allegedly misusing a Selangor exco member’s letterhead to secure contracts for his cronies. The sacking takes effect immediately.
An expulsion letter was issued to Tee by the party’s disciplinary committee, saying he had acted in serious breach of DAP’s principle and violated its constitution.
The quick decision by the party is seen as aiming at maintaining its reputation.
Tee has been given 14 days to provide a written appeal against the decision to the DAP central executive committee.
 “With this termination of membership from the DAP, you shall no longer represent and/or hold yourself as a member of the party to the public. Kindly immediately return all properties and belongings of the Party presently in your possession,” said the letter, which was made available to the press by disciplinary committee chairman Tan Kok Wai (left) on Saturday.
Exco member Ronnie Liu (right), who was seen as trying to cover up for Tee, was directed by the party to lodge a police report on the matter in order for a police investigation to be carried out for any probable criminal wrongdoing.
“The DAP Selangor State Committee shall also be directed to write to the Selangor state government to request that you be immediately removed as the Klang Municipal Councillor,” said the letter.
Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had reportedly asked Tee to go on leave, pending the outcome of a state government probe into the allegations.
On July 27, The Star reported that a municipal councillor had allegedly used a state exco member’s official letterhead and seal by writing his own letters of support to obtain contracts for his cronies and a family member.
It is alleged that the councillor, a DAP veteran, had secured contracts worth more than RM1mil for 20 companies from the council where he had been serving since July 2008.
Liu had confirmed that his letterhead had been misused and that the local councillor was now being investigated by the party.
At a recent press conference, Tee had denied the allegations and even threatened to sue newspapers, such as The Star which first reported it, for defaming him.
The expulsion letter, on Saturday, also said the disciplinary committee had studied documents it had received and verified that there was a basic for the allegations.
It added that while the amount had not yet been determined, the disciplinary committee had been informed by the Selangor state committee that at least one company, which Tee had issued a support letter, was related to a family member and done without Liu’s authority.
The disciplinary committee also unanimously decided that Tee’s explanation did not justify the act performed by him.
“We decided that there exists a serious conflict of interest when you exercised the power entrusted to you by the office of Yang Berhormat Ronnie Liu, which therefore constitutes an abuse of power,” the letter added.
Tan said that directors from 15 companies would be invited to testify at a hearing, which would be held at a date to be decided later.
He added that the DAP did not condone the practice of issuing support letters for business or commercial purpose because it could be easily abused and misconstrued.
It is learnt that the party has directed elected and non-elected party officials to refrain from issuing such letters.
The directive will apply across the board to all Pakatan Rakyat elected and non-elected officials, in line with "upholding the principle of good governance in state administration."
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Last Updated on Saturday, 31 July 2010 23:06 |
