Co-op consultant sues govt for RM5mil for ‘failing to act on power abuse’

Cooperatives consultant Shan Thuraisingham filed the statement of claim at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 13.

PETALING JAYA: A cooperatives consultant is seeking RM5 million in damages from the government for failing to act on the abuse of power and misappropriation that allegedly occurred in an organisation.

In his statement of claim, Shan Thuraisingham also wants the court to order two former MIC leaders to return RM8 million which he alleged they embezzled.

Shan, who is the honorary secretary of Persatuan Usahawan, Pengurusan dan Koperasi Islam Malaysia (UrusCoop), filed the statement of claim at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 13.

He had filed a writ at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on April 26, which was also served on the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

In the statement of claim, Shan alleged that the RM8 million had been set aside by then prime minister Najib Razak to the two MIC leaders which was to be distributed to Indian-based cooperatives.

FMT is withholding the duo’s identities pending a comment.

“Unfortunately, these two leaders ‘embezzled’ the funds to establish another cooperative which was not set up according to the law,” the document claimed.

Shan also claimed that he had brought the matter up to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, with the anti-graft agency allegedly labelling the matter as “NFA”, or no further action.

He also said he had referred the matter to the AGC and the law and institutional reform minister.

When contacted, Shan said he had no choice but to take the matter to court, saying there was a need to protect the 15,000 cooperatives and its 16 million members.

“I wrote to the relevant authorities, but no one took any action,” he said.

He said the High Court has set June 26 for case management.