Editor’s Note: Former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has claimed trial to three charges of corruptly receiving RM1.097 mil in bribes linked to the approval of 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for a company.
The 58-year-old Tapah MP pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.
The three charges involve alleged bribes of RM150,000, RM350,000 and RM597,000 which the prosecution claims Saravanan received from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim through Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad.
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THE MIC deputy president and former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan will be charged for corruption today (Aug 28) over matters related to foreign workers’ recruitment.
In a video clip released to MIC members, he claimed that he was innocent of the charges levelled against him by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Apparently, two individuals were involved as witnesses but one had died. Even before his death, he wanted to retract his witness statement against Saravanan but was disallowed.
Another who is a chronic kidney patient was also coerced into giving his statement against Saravanan.
In fact, Saravanan had on Aug 24 written a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim outlining the facts surrounding his case and why he is innocent of the corruption charges.
He further underlined the fact that the foreign workers’ recruitment was managed by a centralised management system that was beyond the control of individuals, including the minister concerned.
The arrest and charging of Saravanan come in the broader context of the Madani government’s action against individuals who were responsible for financial losses amounting to tens of billions in the cases of Tabung Haji (TH) and FELDA.
Innocent until proven guilty
Following release of the Pilgrim Fund Board’s Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) findings, investigative agencies in the likes of MACC are active in identifying individuals responsible for the financial fiasco in both TH and FELDA.
In the days ahead, the graft buster agency is expected to make more arrests concerning the above two matters.
Managed by a centralised agency, it is public knowledge that the foreign workers’ recruitment process in the country has been the subject of much concern in the recent past.
Labour recruitment syndicates – both in Malaysia and Bangladesh – were often accused of engaging in serious malpractices in the recruitment process.
While Saravanan maintains his innocence in the recruitment of labour, it is not sure what the other specific charges against Saravanan are.
Saravanan who maintains his innocence has even met Anwar a few times in the past.
His August 24 letter to Anwar is the latest attempt to prove his innocence in the highly combustible foreign workers’ recruitment process.
A person is innocent until he is proven guilty. This axiom must be extended to Saravanan and others who have been charged with crimes.
‘Shouldn’t have written to PMX’
It is generally understood that the MACC would not challenge the VIPs without getting the green light from the supremo, Anwar, himself.
However, Saravanan writing to Anwar to establish his innocence does not make sense.
He should not have written to Anwar on his innocence; instead, he should confront the allegations against him in a court of law.
Anwar might give the impression that he is a no-nonsense person when it comes to the battle against corruption in its many manifestations.
But unfortunately, if the Madani government can spare UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from being prosecuted but instead render a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA), then one can imagine the state of the prosecution in the country.
In the case of Zahid, there were 47 charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering linked to the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) – and more so – the prima facie nature was already established before the charges were withdrawn.
In other words, the Madani government cannot wiggle out of the image that there is no selective prosecution in the country.
In this country, some people are charged but not others despite the severity of the crimes committed.
Whether Anwar procrastinated or not in releasing the RCI on TH remains a mystery. – Aug 28, 2026
Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: The Malaysia Reserve
