Jasin MP Says Sorry To PM - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 (Bernama) -- Jasin MP Datuk Mohd Said Yusof, the man who allegedly asked Melaka Customs to "close one eye" in a case involving the illegal import of sawn timber from Indonesia, said Wednesday that he had apologised to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said he met the premier after a special briefing for Umno divisional leaders at Putra World Trade Centre, here Tuesday.

"I met him, clasped his hand and informed him that I apologise if I had done wrong," he told a news conference at Parliament lobby.

He, however, declined to reveal the reaction of Abdullah, who is also the Umno president.

The controversy was sparked off by a newspaper report that a MP attempted to interfere with the work of the Melaka Customs which seized a consignment of sawn timber that exceeded the 60-square-inch cross-section area limit permitted by the Malaysian Timber Council.

Mohd Said subsequently said he was the MP mentioned in the report.

The issue resulted in the resignation of Johor Baharu MP Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad after he supported an abortive opposition motion in the Dewan Rakyat that sought to refer the news report to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee.

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