KOTA KINABALU: The RM870,000 deposit money for potential Usno candidates contesting in the 14th General Election (GE14) does not exist, said Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din.
This was following a report lodged by a 38-year-old man, who has been accused of running away with the money a day before nomination day on April 28.
The man, however, had come forward to lodge a police report the next day at Kota Belud, denying that he had received the money.
“Preliminary investigation shows that the RM870,000 does not exist… (It was) only promised and uttered by a member from Usno party.
“No one has seen or received the RM870,000. However, our investigation is still at an early stage and the man alleged to have escaped with the money has come forward to deny the allegation,” Ramli told reporters at the state police headquarters in Kepayan here, today.
Ramli said the police had received eight reports pertaining to the case, including from individuals who claimed they could not become a candidate following the ‘missing money’.
He did not rule out possibility there could be an individual who was promised candidacy in GE14 by the party and had made payment as deposit.
“We have called 10 witnesses, including the party president, to record their statements. More witnesses will be called before the investigation paper is submitted to the deputy public prosecutor,” said Ramli, adding a special team was established to look into the report.
To a question whether there were civil servants among the ‘prospective candidates’ affected by the incident, Ramli said most them were individuals who had retired.
Last Saturday, an Usno member lodged a report claiming the RM870,000 belonging to the party was missing after a party member, who was allegedly entrusted with the money, failed to turn up at the Election Commission office to make deposit payment on April 27.
On Monday, seven Usno members held a press conference calling for the party leadership to take responsibility for the missing deposit money.
At a press conference, Usno Tenom division chief Norlia Yuntong had said some of the aspiring candidates had borrowed money from loan sharks, sold off their cars and lands to contest in the GE14.