The Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) said today it will recommend to the attorney-general to bring charges against Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd, the vehicle for human rights group Suaram.
The commission expects to charge Suaram within two days.
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told a press conference at the CCM headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today that the recommendation will be made to the attorney-general at 4pm today.
“We are initiating legal action based on the company’s reporting of its accounts, which is confusing,” Ismail Sabri said.
Asked what he meant by confusing, he replied: “All kinds of things. It is misleading. We are building a case, we cannot expose all the details now.
“They do one thing and report another,” he said.
‘Nothing to do with Soros funding’
Ismail Sabri said CCM was still looking at other possible charges against Suara Inisiatif but has confirmed at least one charge against it under section Section 364(2) of the Companies Act 1965, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of RM250,000 or both.
The other sections under which Suaram was still being investigated are Section 166A(3), Section 169(14), Section 167(1), Section 167(2) and Section 132(1) of the Companies Act 1965.
However, Ismail Sabri said, the attorney-general would have the final say on which section to use or if there would be any charges at all.
Asked who will be charged if the attorney-general decided to go ahead with the case, Ismail Sabri replied: “It could be the company, it could be the directors Kua Kia Soong and Yeoh Seng Guan or it could be both.”
Asked if one of the other possible charges was for receiving funding from the Open Society Foundation, which was founded by business magnate George Soros, he replied: “No, It doesn’t concern funding, that is beyond our jurisdiction.”
‘More actions in store’
Ismail Sabri added that Bank Negara and the Registrar of Societies, in a meeting with CCM this morning, had also agreed to take action against Suaram but he declined to disclose further information, stating that it was not under his jurisdiction.
He also flayed Suaram supporters for swarming CCM’s lobby this morning in support of the NGO.
“We investigate up to 200 companies a year, but the only difference is that unlike Suaram, they don’t come to our headquarters to protest or politicians like (Lembah Pantai MP) Nurul Izzah Anwar do not turn up for them.
“Why was a politician here? Could it be that Suaram is a stooge for PKR?” Ismail Sabri asked.
He added that Suaram could not claim democratic rights while trying to obstruct CCM’s right to investigate the organisation.