DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang says Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should not have invoked the Official Secrets Act 1972 to hide the nature of the projects in which alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua had aided the federal government. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Mukhriz Hazim, January 18, 2015.The Cabinet should declassify the so-called “national security projects" on which alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua had aided the federal government, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said today.Lim said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is now in the spotlight over the letter he sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), should not have invoked the Official Secrets Act 1972 to hide the nature of the projects Phua was involved with.“Cabinet on Wednesday should uphold the principles of good governance and accountability and declassify information on the 'national security projects’ involving (the) alleged gambling kingpin," said Lim in a statement.He said that the Cabinet should also confirm the existence and number of past national security projects, and why the police “knew nothing about them".He added that the Cabinet should reveal whether these projects began during Zahid’s 19-month tenure as home minister from May 2013, or with his predecessor, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.The letter to the FBI was first revealed by the South China Morning Post almost a month ago, leading to criticism by several quarters for acting unilaterally and not going through the Foreign Affairs Ministry in dealing with a foreign agency like the FBI.Last Thursday, Zahid broke his silence on the issue, insisting that he had the authority to write such a letter.The home minister said the letter was not meant to defend Phua, who is facing trial in the United States, nor was it a support letter not to charge the man.Zahid said his predecessor had also previously issued such letters to explain on matters in their capacity as the minister responsible for national security."The letter was to clarify the status of Phua and the existence of the 14K Triad in Malaysia," Zahid had reportedly said.Zahid had said that he had explained the matter to the Cabinet and his colleagues were satisfied with his explanation.As for claims in the letter that Phua had helped the Malaysian government with "national security projects", Zahid had said these projects could not be revealed as they were classified under the OSA.It was reported that the Malaysian police in a 2008 report to the FBI had said that Phua was a member of the 14K Triad.The 50-year-old Sarawakian was said to be a professional gambler and had taken part in world poker championships.He was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and is now reportedly facing charges of illegal bookmaking charges. He was also the ambassador for the micro-state of San Marino to Montenegro for a period. – January 18, 2015.
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