KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is reviewing documents related to the investigation of the RM700 million spent to publicise the previous governments’ successes.
MACC’s senior director of investigations Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim told Scoop this when asked when the agency will summon the two former prime ministers and senior officials allegedly involved in the expenditure.
“We (the MACC) must review our documents first,” he said briefly.
According to sources, MACC retrieved some documents during a visit to the Finance Ministry (MoF) and the Prime Minister’s Office, where the agency also conducted data collection.
Last November, MoF revealed that the federal government spent nearly RM700 million on advertising, promotion, and publicity work from 2020 to 2022 to disseminate its agenda.
The previous two administrations incurred the expenses to promote its achievements and efforts through all media platforms – including social and print media, billboards, as well as television and radio.
A police report was lodged on December 30 over the expenditure, but Wangsa Maju police chief Ashari Abu Samah told Scoop the case has been referred to the ministry.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the probe is focused on Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s tenure as prime minister, which was from February 2020 until August 2021.
Scoop learnt that investigators were looking into whether the state of emergency that came into effect on January 12, 2021, was abused to circumvent procurement processes and governance procedures.
Muhyiddin was prime minister from February 29, 2020, to August 16, 2021. He was succeeded by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who led the country from August 21, 2021, to November 24, 2022.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took over the reins on November 24, 2022, with the formation of the current unity government.
On December 28, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the people have the right to know about the “significant” expenditure, and whether it was recorded properly.
He also welcomed the agency to include his ministry in its investigations. – January 7, 2024