KUALA LUMPUR (March 19): Businessman Victor Chin Boon Long, snagged in ‘corporate mafia’ investigations, issued a public apology to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and former police chief Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Chin said he apologised to Loke, expressing regret that photos of them at public events had been circulated and misused. He said he had met Loke at several events by MMAG Holdings Bhd (KL:MMAG) during his time as an executive director at the logistics firm.
"The last thing I would ever want is for my circumstances to cast even the slightest shadow on your reputation or public standing," he said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement comes after authorities sharpened their focus on Chin and his associates, freezing more than 500 bank accounts suspected to be linked to him as well as those that may held or transacted in shares of MMAG Holdings, NexG Bhd (KL:NEXG) and NexG Bina Bhd (KL:NEXGBINA).
The investigations and authorities’ actions came after international news agency Bloomberg published an article claiming that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was being used by a group of businessmen dubbed ‘corporate mafia’, including Chin, to seize control of listed companies.
The MACC denied allegations in the report and Chin has also denied being part of the scheme while describing himself as a victim.
On Thursday, Chin also apologised to his fellow board members and directors, including Razarudin, the former inspector general of police who briefly served as the executive chairman of NexG Bina last year.
"The circumstances that followed placed him in a position where he had to step away much earlier than expected,” Chin said. “I deeply regret that his involvement, however brief, has been affected in this way.”
Other parties named in the statement include former director general of public service Tan Sri Mohd Khairul Adib and Ng Keoh Chai, a former principal assistant director of the Forensic Accounting Investigation Division of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department at Bukit Aman.
"To everyone mentioned, and to those not named but equally affected, your only connection to this situation is knowing me, working with me, or believing in me," Chin said, noting that some merely owned or traded shares in NexG, NexG Bina, or MMAG. “For that I am deeply sorry.”