KOTA KINABALU: The secretariat of the Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC) has uncovered two identical agreements on the agriculture and reafforestation joint venture (JV) projects between SUCCC and Veetar Kinabalu Plantations Sdn Bhd that were signed by different individuals six months apart.
SUCCC president Datuk Seri Panglima Gan Sau Wah said the secretariat had also discovered evidence of six cheques made payable to the late Datuk Seri Panglima Sari Nuar, the then SUCCC president, which amounted to RM4.8 million (RM800,000 for each cheque) during the six-month period in between the signing of the first and second JV contracts.
Gan said the cheques were received by the then SUCCC vice president, Tan Kim Beng, as indicated by his signature on the payment vouchers.
During a press conference held yesterday, Gan said the secretariat and its staff had taken over a year to find the two contracts and collect concrete evidence on the issue.
Gan said it was not his intention to bring up old grudges and past disputes that happened 17 years ago after he took over as the SUCCC president.
“My principle is to let bygones be bygones. Unfortunately, not long after I became president of SUCCC, Tuaran Chinese Chamber of Commerce president Tan Kim Beng and Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) president Datuk Michael Lui wanted me to uncover and clarify the truth.
“At the same time, they wanted me to seek legal action (to pursue SUCCC’s rightful shares) from Datuk Lim Kim Yeow.”
Lim is the chairman of Veetar Kinabalu Plantations Sdn Bhd, the company that provided the finance and management for both JV projects.
Under the circumstances then, Gan said he could not agree to the duo’s demand, referring to the legal bid to regain the interest of SUCCC, as every sales and purchase was done based on agreement.
However today, Gan said SUCCC has sufficient evidence and documents to support its claims.
He added that the secretariat has also engaged lawyers and accountants to form a committee, and will be releasing a white paper on the truths behind the JVs.
“This is the first expose, there will be a few more in the future,” he promised.
Meanwhile, Gan delved into the two contracts and evidence that the secretariat and its staff have unearthed.
Seventeen years ago, SUCCC signed JV agreements with Veetar for 100,000 acres of land for reafforestation and 8,000 acres of land for agriculture.
Gan said the first agreement was signed by Sari and Tan on December 31, 1997, while the second agreement, identical in content with the first one, was signed by the then SUCCC vice president, Datuk Kho Choon Seng, and secretary general, Datuk Chong Kon Fui, on May 12, 1998. Both contracts were signed six months apart.
“We were perplexed as to why there are two agreements for this JV. The contents of the first and second agreements are identical, no change of the developer (Veetar). The only change was the representatives from SUCCC (who signed the agreements).”
Since December 31, 1997, Gan said six cheques were made payable to Sari monthly (a cheque per month), which amounted to RM4.8 million in total.
“All the cheques were collected by Tan Kim Beng,” he said.
Gan said this showed that Tan was very clear on what happened from the beginning. In addition, Gan said Clause 9(C) of both agreements stated that ‘SUCCC and/or its members/shareholders will not encumber SUCCC’s portion or subject the same to any liens, lease, tenancy, caveat or prohibitory order or any other encumbrances nor take any action institute any proceedings or claims against the developer’.
He pointed out that SUCCC would have been a rich Chinese chamber if there was no problem in the agreements.
Gan said he is only reporting the truth and would leave the people to contemplate on its veracity.
On when the white paper will be ready, he said it is nearly completed but declined to provide an exact date because the secretariat would need time to collect the information.