Tee Yong lodges report over shady SMSes

PUTRAJAYA: There appears to be an unending stream of attempts to discredit Datuk Chua Tee Yong, whose mobile phone number was used to send a mass of questionable text messages.

A message questioning the link between gambling licences issued nationwide and political funding for Barisan Nasional was sent to random people using a mobile number identical to Chua's.

“The only difference was the country code preceding the number,” said the Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister.

Any telephone number registered in Malaysia would typically have +06 as the country code when calls are made. The number cited on the text message, however, bore the code +16.

“I only found out when I received calls from people I don't know regarding the SMS sent out under my name,” he said after lodging a report at the Putrajaya police headquarters.

Chua said the text message, in Chinese characters, claimed that he was questioning the high number of gambling licences issued, linking it to the possibility that Barisan was working with criminals to raise funds for the general election.

He added that it could also be attempted political assassination.

Chua pointed out that it was important that he lodged a police report on the issue, as it could escalate into something worse if people were not aware that he did not send out the text message.

“The police told me that this was done using high technology, and that it is probably something only available overseas. I don't know who received the SMS, and I fear for my safety and that of my family,” he said.