The Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) is standing by its statement questioning the business links of Health Minister Adham Baba and will not accede to the latter’s demand for an apology and payment of RM30 mil in damages.
C4’s lawyer Asheeq Ali & Co, in a reply to the letter of demand (LOD) issued by Adham’s lawyers, said the organisation stood by its statement citing “public interest” and denied malice.
“We have instructions to accept service of process if your client is minded to proceed with legal action,” the law firm said.
On May 12, Adham sent the LOD after C4 released a statement questioning the minister’s links with an obscure property development company Khazanah Jaya Sdn Bhd which is purportedly among the companies being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over the abuse of public funds amounting to RM30 mil for the procurement of Covid-19 equipment.
C4 said: “A search on the Companies Commission of Malaysia website shows that the shareholders and directors of KJSB are Tan Boon Keong and Tan Jiat Jui. They are also shareholders and directors of South Asia Noble Sdn Bhd (SAN). It is interesting to note that one of the former directors of SAN is Iskandar Miza Ahmad, who happens to be a shareholder and director in Adham Baba’s private clinic, Klinik Adham.
“Klinik Adham is mostly owned by Adham Baba (96.8%) while Iskandar Miza who has been a director since April 2004 owns approximately 1,000 shares.”
Adham said C4’s claims were defamatory and damaged his reputation. – May 19, 2020
