[Malaysia] Osu's losses likely RM28mil

Raja Petra Kamarudin <adilnet@streamyx.com> wrote:Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: The RM7.1million that two leading casinos in the United
Kingdom are trying to recover from former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji
Osu Sukam is understood to be only the balance of RM28mil (£4m) that he
owed these establishments.

It is understood that the gambling facilities were offered to Osu after
being introduced by certain premium clients and that it was not on credit
but paid for in cheques which may have bounced.

It is understood that he had also been a good paymaster, having settled up
to 562,000 pounds (RM3.9m) in 2002 alone.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Democratic Party (MDP) Fung Ket Wing said to hear that
a former Chief Minister of Sabah had been dragged to court over unpaid
gambling debts amounting to RM7.1mil by casinos was both "shocking and
embarrassing."

"It is shocking because he was a leader of the Barisan Nasional Government
which had been talking about wanting only clean, accountable and
hard-serving leaders.

"Osu, by his action, raises questions over these prerequisites."

Fung said Osu owes Malaysians, especially in Sabah, an explanation over
how such debts could have accumulated, whether he had the financial
capacity to pay such debts or if there was a conspiracy to scheme him."

Fung also said though the casinos lost their in Kota Kinabalu High Court,
it was still some kind of victory for them because they managed to expose
quality of some of our leaders.

"The Malaysian public should be grateful to them (casinos)."

He said in the wake of the exposure for leaders also raised on how
effective and meaningful is the requirements for leaders to declare their
assets.

"Osu's case is not the only one. In the past there had been reports of
Sabah leaders entangled in gambling debts and of bounced cheques being
issued.

He suggested that the Government monitor the activities of our leaders who
go abroad on holidays "since we never now what they are capable of doing
when outside the country."

Fung also commended High Court Judge Justice Datuk Ian HC Chin in
dismissing the applications by the casinos to recover the debts via the
Malaysian court.

"Allowing it would be like encouraging casinos to lure more people to
spend beyond their financial capacity."

Fung said what was known about some casinos was that when a "customer" is
a VIP daily credit limit of about RM300,000 is advanced to him to enjoy
the gambling. "This is what often puts the person in trouble,"

He disagreed with Sabah Umno's initial reaction that it was "a personal
matter of Osu". "It is for the police and ACA to now investigate Osu as to
where he got that millions for gambling when his salary as chief minister
was only about RM24,000 a month," he said.

Posted by Raja Petra Kamarudin to MT-news at 7/09/2005 08:14:00 AM

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