Eric Chia's message to Anwar

Strong words from the man who felt his life was destroyed by Anwar Ibrahim:-


The SUN, 27 June 2007

Asked if he felt vindicated, Chia said:

"Yes, I have wasted 11 years. (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim went to Parliament on May 26, 1996 ... check your records ... he said I abused my position in Perwaja and because of that Perwaja lost money and went bankrupt," he said.

"Every purchase that Perwaja made was guaranteed by the Ministry of Finance, so how can I abuse the purchase of equipment? Without the government guarantee, I cannot purchase."

Asked if he felt angry, Chia said: "I leave it to God, you want to hear? You know how angry God is?"

"On May 26, 1996, Datuk Anwar Ibrahim went to Parliament and accused me of abusing my position and cheating Perwaja."

"Aug 8, 1998 - two years and four months later - Datuk Anwar went to jail ... the deputy prime minister went to jail. God was angry."

"You don't believe in God, you'd better believe. Believe in the mercy of the Father of Heaven. Don't bluff, don't cheat, don't slander. Wrong is wrong, right is right."

"If you have wronged somebody, be a gentleman and ask for forgiveness. When you have forgiveness from the man you have wronged, God will pardon you. Till then, God will never pardon."

The Perwaja Steel Saga

• 1988: Tan Sri Eric Chia handpicked by then premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to turn loss-making Perwaja Steel around.
• 1995: Chia resigned as managing director.
• 1996: Perwaja declared insolvent, with debts and losses totalling RM10 billion. Police and ACA launch investigations.
• May 1996: Former deputy prime minister and finance minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim blamed Chia in Parliament for Perwaja's loss.
• 1999: Then ACA director-general Datuk Ahmad Zaki Husin said several matters remained unresolved as no parties had come forward to provide assistance.
• September 2000: Ahmad Zaki said the Swiss account of a foreign company registered in the British Virgin Islands formed a vital piece of evidence but ACA, did not have the power to get information on the Swiss account. The account contained part of the RM76.4 million which was said to have been taken out of the country to Hong Kong before it went to Japan and then Switzerland.
• October 2002: Parliament told probe into Perwaja had been completed.
• 2003: Investigators from AG's Chambers gather evidence in Japan, Switzerland and Hongkong.
• Feb 9, 2004: Chia arrested by ACA.
• Feb 10, 2004: Chia charged with embezzlement.
• August 2004: Chia alternatively charged with dishonestly disposing of the funds by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporation of Japan and authorising the payment without the approval of the board of directors or tender committee of Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd
• May 4, 2007: Prosecution closed its case after calling 29 witnesses.

Eric Chia ACQUITTED!
KUALA LUMPUR (June 26, 2007): The sessions court here today acquitted and discharged Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock, the former managing director of Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd, without calling for his defence on charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM76.4 million.

Judge Akhtar Tahir said the prosecution had failed to adduce sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against Chia, reports Bernama today.

The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden, closed its case on May 4 after calling 29 witnesses. On Feb 10, 2004, Chia, 74, pleaded not guilty to the original charge of CBT of the same amount by dishonestly authorising the payment of the amount to the account of Frilsham Enterprise Incorporated with American Express Bank Ltd in Hongkong for technical assistance provided for the Perwaja plant in Gurun, Kedah, when no such payment was due.

Alternatively, six months later, he was charged with dishonestly disposing of the funds by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporationof Japan and authorising the payment of the amount without the approval of the board of directors or tender committee of Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd.

He was charged with having committed both offences in his capacity as managing director of Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd in its office in Menara UBN on Jalan P. Ramlee here between Nov 4, 1993, and Feb 22, 1994.

On both counts, he was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between two and 20 years and whipping, and the liability of a fine upon conviction.

Chia, who was represented by lead counsel Datuk Muhammad ShafeeAbdullah, was allowed to sit behind the defence team due to his brittle diabetic condition.

Both DPP Yusof and Muhammad Shafee summed up their arguments verbally on May 31 and June 1, respectively.

Yusof closed the prosecution's case in 34 pages, covering all evidence obtained from witnessess including from Hongkong, Japan, Zurich and Geneva, while Muhammed Shafee's summing-up was contained in a 300-page document.