POLITICS
Ruangkrai files petition against PM over shares
WASSANA NANUAM AND KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA
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| Appointed senator Ruangkrai Leekijwattana shows documents he says backs his charge against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is accused of holding shares in a company that is a contract partner of a state enterprise, something barred by the constitution. KITTI KREETIYUTANON |
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday agreed to look into an allegation that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has violated the constitution by holding shares in a private company.
Appointed senator Ruangkrai Leekijwattana yesterday lodged a petition with the EC asking it to examine the qualifications of Mr Somchai, accusing him of holding shares in CS Loxinfo, an internet service provider that is a contract partner of state-owned CAT Telecom.
EC member Sodsri Sattayatham said the commission would decide today whether it should set up a new panel to investigate the allegation or incorporate it into an existing inquiry into MPs and senators' shareholdings.
The agency is already investigating the shareholdings of a group of MPs and senators, at the request of PPP deputy spokesman Suphachai Jaisamut.
Mr Supachai claimed these members of parliament breached the charter by holding stocks in firms which operate businesses that have state concessions.
Article 48 of the constitution prohibits political office holders from owning shares in telecom and media companies, while Article 265 bars them from holding stakes in companies that enjoy government concessions.
Mrs Sodsri said that personally she thought a new committee should be appointed to handle the allegation against Mr Somchai.
"The committee members might be overloaded. They have questioned over a hundred people.
"It is possible that a new team will be appointed," she said.
Mr Ruangkrai said yesterday he would also ask his fellow senators to file a petition asking the Constitution Court to rule on Mr Somchai's qualifications.
Anant Kaewruamwong, managing director of CS Loxinfo, said as of the shareholders' book closing date at the end of June, Mr Somchai's name was not listed a shareholder in the company. Still, he could not confirm if the prime minister held shares after that date.
The senator was behind the downfall of former prime minister Samak Sundaravej, Mr Somchai's predecessor.
He had accused Samak Sundaravej of violating the constitution by hosting TV cooking programmes. The EC found there were grounds to the allegation and sent the case to the Constitution Court which found against.Mr Samak.
Mr Ruangkrai yesterday raised questions about the ownership of a 200-million baht property in the Chaeng Wattana area which was used by Mr Somchai to accept the royal command appointing him as prime minister.
The senator claimed Mr Somchai did not list the property in an assets declaration form he submitted to the National Counter Corruption Commission.
He insisted that he did not harbour any ill-intentions towards Mr Somchai, saying he was just doing his job as a senator.
Mr Ruangkrai also accused Chinnicha, Mr Somchai's daughter who is an MP for Chiang Mai, of holding shares in M Link Asia, a contract partner with the state enterprise Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).
The senator yesterday shrugged off a move by a House committee which is seeking to investigate him for unlawfully using his status as an auditor to look into others' assets. "I am waiting. They'd better hurry," he said.
Mr Somchai said he was unnerved by the prospect of the investigation and that he was ready to follow legal procedures. But he declined to answer questions relating to the alleged shareholding, saying he would clarify the matter with the relevant authorities.
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