PARTI Warisan Sabah deputy president Darrel Leiking will take over the helm should the party president Shafie Apdal be detained by the Malaysian Anti-corruption Commission (MACC).

Warisan vice-president Junz Wong said the party was prepared for such an eventuality and Leiking would be acting president should the day come.

“Our struggle will continue. We have discussed this in the supreme council meeting and we decided that Leiking will become acting president if Shafie is detained by the MACC,” he said. 

The Likas assemblyman said Warisan had expected the MACC to move in on Shafie last month and again when he arrived at the airport on October 6, but the anti-graft body did not.

Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony and the Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman have been detained by graft busters probing allegations of  the misappropriation of RM1.5 billion of federal funds. 

The sum is part of the RM7.5 billion allocation for rural projects in Sabah channeled through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry between 2009 and 2015.  

Shafie, then an Umno vice-president, was the rural and regional development minister at the time.

“I think the MACC has changed its tactics. However Warisan is ready for the possibility of the president getting arrested. It’s not going to be easy, but we are not worried about it,” Wong said. 

Wong said  the ongoing probe showed that “those in power” were trying to break the Warisan leaders through selective prosecution, adding that there had been many graft cases but Shafie had become the main target.   

For example, he said reported the “lopsided” heli-logging deal to the MACC last August 24, but no investigation was launched. 

The contract states that Sabah Foundation subsidiary, Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd could only be paid up to RM1.6 million a month, compared with concessionaire Hormat Jadi Sdn Bhd, which would receive RM27 million a month.

Wong also denied rumours the MACC probe was aimed at crippling Warisan by striking at the party’s financial resources. 

He said MACC had detained more Umno than Warisan members, namely Tenom Umno Youth Chief Jamawi Jaafar and Tawau Umno Youth Chief Ariffin Kassim. 

“So what does this show you about the whole episode? Why does the MACC choose to go after Shafie now instead years ago when the alleged crime was committed?” he asked. 

Meanwhile, Warisan women’s youth leader Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said the arrest of the two Warisan leaders will not diminish support for the party.

“The entry of Warisan into the political scene has opened up the people’s eyes … Warisan was also able to unite Sabahans of various backgrounds and ethnicities,” said Munirah, adding that she hoped the Warisan detained leaders would be fairly treated. 

Warisan deputy youth leader Nicholas Chak said Anthony and Azis should not have been handcuffed as both of them had repeatedly said they would cooperate with the MACC. 

“As both of them are yet to be proven guilty, why the need to handcuff them and make them wear the  SPRM orange shirt?” he said. – October 11, 2017.