KUALA LUMPUR, 15 April 2009: Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman has been dropped as Labuan Umno chief with immediate effect, according to a statement published on Umno-online, the official website of Umno.
This was in accordance with Clause 10.10, of Umno’s constitution whereby a leader automatically loses his party posts in the event of being charged in court, the statement said.
On 14 April, Suhaili, 48, was charged with making a false statement to Mohd Naser Mohd. Noor, a Justice of Peace, in relation to the registration of a company, Syarikat Saraequity Sdn Bhd, in August 1995.
According to the charge, he is alleged to have given false information to Mohd Naser Mohd Noor in his statutory declaration by using the name Ahmad Suhaily Abdul Rahman with the identification card bearing serial numbers H 0552182.
However, Suhaili pleaded not guilty to the charge in the Kota Kinabalu Magistrate’s Court and Magistrate Noor Hafizah Mohd. Salim allowed an application by the prosecution to have the case transferred to another court to enable it to be heard together with a cheating case involving the accused.
Suhaili, the former Member of Parliament for Labuan, is also charged with cheating Malayan Banking Bhd’s Kota Kinabalu branch of RM160,000 in connection with the purchase of apartment in the city, in 1996.
Suhaili, when contacted by Bernama in Labuan, confirmed receiving a letter on his removal as Labuan Umno chief.
“The letter was signed by Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan,” he said.
Expressing disappointment with this, he said that he had met the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin about the matter and was advised to make an appeal.
He was of the view that the decision should have been made only after the Umno supreme council had deliberated on it.
“I should have been given a chance to defend myself. I have shown a good performance in the two terms I was MP of Labuan and this can been seen from the results in the last general election,” he added. — Bernama
