KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has denied claims in a news report that it had received instructions not to investigate “certain individuals” regarding the purchase of a company’s shares.
The anti-graft agency also said it was untrue that it had received instructions from “certain parties” regarding the same matter.
“The (report) is inaccurate and there is no credibility to the claims made against the commission,” it said in a statement today.
“MACC is convinced that this is a wild and irresponsible accusation deliberate made to create negative perceptions about the commission.
“We emphasise that MACC does not open investigation papers arbitrarily without evidence and facts. Each investigation carried out is in accordance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) based on the law provided and monitored by five independent oversight bodies,” it added.
MACC’s statement did not specify which media or news article it was referring to.
However, a report published yesterday by Bloomberg said MACC had been investigating “adversaries” of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, including the but not “share purchases by one of the prime minister’s allies”.
The US-headquarted media company named former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin and their family members as among those MACC was investigating, while naming Anwar’s former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador as the person involved in share purchases in HeiTech Padu Bhd in March.
For the record, as of April, Farhash was no longer a substantial shareholder in the company.
Bloomberg had also reported MACC’s response to its request for comments on its article. Macc replied that it firmly refutes claims regarding any instructions from the Prime Minister to influence or obstruct specific investigations.
MACC’s statement today reiterated this position, adding that it carried out its enforcement duties “without fear or favour”.
“MACC will not succumb to pressure from any party to divert attention from the cases of corruption and embezzlement that are being actively investigated at the moment with various accusations that are deliberately fabricated,” it added.
Meanwhile, Anwar’s political secretary (finance ministry) Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim also denied the claims reported by Bloomberg which were lifted and republished by news portal Free Malaysia Today.
He said claims that Anwar’s government was interfering in MACC’s investigations into Dr Mahathir, his sons, and Daim, are baseless.
“(Such claims) only serve to undermine public trust in the government’s anti-corruption drive,” he said, adding that the one of the key challenges faced by the current administration is the perception that government agencies, including the MACC, are used as political tools. — September 27, 2024