KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lashed out at the opposition, questioning their dissatisfaction with the detention of his former senior political secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
“The man is handcuffed and wearing an orange suit. What more do you want?”.
Anwar emphasised that Shamsul was treated like any other suspect and not given special treatment by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). He reiterated that he did not interfere with the MACC’s investigation and gave them full freedom to probe the allegations.
“In the case being investigated by MACC, try to see, what more do you want? The man is handcuffed and wearing an orange suit. I think many other serious cases don’t even involve handcuffs,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time in Parliament.
“I didn’t utter a single word to MACC. I’ve told them, they are free to investigate, let them investigate. What more do they want? I don’t defend my staff. I want to ask, why defend others?” he added.
Shamsul was detained by the MACC to assist in the investigation into alleged bribery involving businessman Albert Tei, who claims to have given Shamsul money to recover funds allegedly distributed to Sabah assemblymen. Shamsul resigned as Anwar’s senior political secretary on November 25. – December 2, 2025