XN000022-1985-07-18 — Page 3

THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1985

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SIR DAVID LOOKS INTO WELFARE WORK

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON VISITED THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS IN WORLD TRADE CENTRE, CAUSEWAY BAY.

STARTING OFF WITH A TOUR OF THE GENERAL OFFICE, SIR DAVID, ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN WENT ON TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, THE SUBVENTIONS BRANCH AND THE PAYMENTS CONTROL SECTION.

SIR DAVID ALSO MET SENIOR STAFF AND DISCUSSED WITH THEM THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.

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TALKS HELD ON BANK BUMIPUTRA PROBE

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10. H;

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS TODAY CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MALAYSIAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, TAN SRI ABU TALIB OTHMAN, ON THE INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE AFFAIRS OF BANK BUMIPUTRA MALAYSIA FINANCE LIMITED, AND IN PARTICULAR LOANS GRANTED BY THE COMPANY IN HONG KONG.

MR THOMAS SAID THAT TAN SRI ABU TALIB OTHMAN EXPRESSED HIS SATISFACTION WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WERE DEALING WITH ALLEGATIONS OF SUSPECTED WRONGDOING MADE BY THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN OF THE BANK BUMIPUTRA MALAYSIA BERHAD IN APRIL.

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THE MALAYSIAN ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD, ASSURED MR THOMAS THAT THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD CO-OPERATE FULLY IN THE INVESTIGATIONS.

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FOLLOWING THEIR MEETING MR THOMAS AND TAN SRI ABU TALIB OTHMAN WERE HOPEFUL THAT BY EARLY NEXT YEAR THE INVESTIGATIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND FINAL DECISIONS COULD BE TAKEN AS TO THE ACTUAL OFFENCES COMMITTED AND BY WHOM.

AS THE INVESTIGATIONS WERE STILL UNDER WAY NO FURTHER DETAILS COULD BE GIVEN AT THIS STAGE.

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