Former SAS chairman, Salleh may be prejudiced!

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 4, 2011: Responding to the news reports today "White Paper on SAS depends: Salleh", Luyang Assemblywoman Melanie Chia today called on the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Tun Said, not to be prejudiced on the Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) issue and to disqualify himself from making any decision or ruling on the impending motion on the SAS issue at the coming Assembly sitting on the solid ground that Datuk Salleh was a Chairman of SAS before.

"He was also the Deputy Chief Minister and the Finance Minister when SAS was launched by the then Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Finance, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in end of 1994. We are not suggesting that Salleh has done anything wrong as SAS Chairman or as Finance Minister or as Chief Minister at the time. We only want justice to be done and the truths to come out for the public benefit" said Melanie who is also the SAPP Women Wing Chief.

Melanie reasoned that If Salleh, who is now Speaker of the Assembly, makes a ruling against the motion on SAS or allows the motion to be "defeated by time" as what happened at the April 2010 sitting, then justice would not be seen to be done in this case. "People would reasonably believe that there is something to hide on the part of the Speaker or the Government," added Melanie.

"Salleh should let the Ministers answer in the Assembly if there is nothing to hide," said Melanie adding that if Salleh takes side with the current Chief Minister on politically high profile issues, then he would compromise the public image of the Office of Speaker of the Assembly."

"He has not yet seen the content of the motion I intend to table at the coming sitting! Whatever we take up to the State Assembly, it is for the interest of the people of Sabah and the Government of the day should be mindful that it is the responsibility of the Assembly to ensure that the interest of the people are upheld."

Picture of Melanie at her service centre in Luyang showing reporters a record of Salleh as SAS Chairman.