CHIEF Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg chided DAP assemblywoman Violet Yong (PH-Pending) for her attack on his family members.
“It is regrettable that the Honourable Member for Pending has resorted to character assassination on me and members of my family to gain political mileage,” he said in his winding up speech in the august House here yesterday.
On Wednesday last week, Yong alleged that state government’s failed negotiation over the 5 percent sales tax on petroleum products was due to Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) board members having vested interest in Petronas.
She said the company’s joint venture partner was Borneo Seaoffshore Engineering Sdn Bhd, which was associated with the chief minister’s son, Abang Abdillah Izzarim Abdul Rahman Zohari, who is executive director of Borneo SeaOffshore.
“Besides being linked to the chief minister’s son, Handal Energy Bhd is also linked to Jacqueline Fong, who is the daughter of Sarawak legal counsel JC Fong, whom Sarawakians rely on to take on Petronas,” she said at the time.
“In February 2016, before I became Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister, he was requested by his lawyer friend who is the owner of Borneo Sea Offshore to be an independent director in his firm,” explained Abang Johari.
He revealed that his son, Abdillah received education on technology from Alexander College in Perth, Western Australia and Aviation Institute of Australia, Jandakot, Perth and a holder of the Australian Pilot Licence.
“He started his start-ups Aizo Digital Works at Cyberjaya as developer of multi-layered online games and animation, and also providing design and programming internship to students of the Multi-Media University. His passion in Nintendo technology led him to set up Aizo Digital.
The chief minister stressed that Abdillah owns no share and has no fiduciary interest in the company, retiring as an independent director in June 2018.
“Indeed, it is malicious and vexatious on the part of the Honourable Member for Pending to have created a negative perception of Abdillah who is not here to defend himself.
He also said that his daughter who graduated 15 years ago used to work for Sarawak Energy and now is currently working with a private firm in apps technology.
“Norjehan is a holder of Bachelor of e-Commerce (Honours) from Curtin University, Perth, Australia. As a responsible parent I have given education to my children and let them pursue their professional careers.”
Abang Johari said that his record is a reflection of him and his family’s integrity. I have been an assemblyman for 38 years since 1981 and have served the state Cabinet for 34 years since 1984.
“I fear no one, but I fear God. I want to state here that as a Muslim, I realised that all the riches could not be brought to our graves when the time comes. What matters are the good deeds that we have done during our lifetime,” he added.
