THE Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) is extremely concerned by the decision of the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to seek a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor over his RM1 mil corruption case.
According to C4 Center, the decision raises several urgent questions that the AGC must answer to the public:
- What are these “new developments” that must be investigated further?
- Why should these “new developments” justify the request for a DNAA?
- Why did the AGC choose to withdraw the case instead of allowing the court an opportunity to make a decision?
- Why has no deadline been given for the investigation?
- Why the AGC is vague about whether this case will be pursued after the investigation is concluded?
Recall that Tengku Adnan was charged with receiving RM1 mil from businessman Tan Eng Boon to approve an application by Nucleus Properties Sdn Bhd (now known as Paragon City Development Sdn Bhd) to increase the industrial plot ratio of a piece of land on Jalan Semarak.
“C4 Center would like to remind the AGC that this is a corruption case involving a highly scandalised public official,” the independent non-profit policy advocacy group pointed out.
“There is no place for opaqueness or vague statements that cast doubt on the AGC’s pursuit of the corruption charge.
“How can this entire case simply be withdrawn due to ‘new developments’ when Tan Eng Boon himself has pleaded guilty to abetting Tengku Adnan to solicit a bribe of RM1 mil?”
In demanding answers, C4 Center noted that several high profile corruption cases have fizzled out in the past year, notably that of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s stepson, Riza Aziz, being granted a DNAA on five counts of money laundering over US$248 mil and former Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman’s abrupt acquittal of 46 corruption charges.
“Malaysia’s marked improvement in last year’s Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) will suffer greatly if our anti-corruption efforts continue to regress, especially if the public does not receive clear answers for why a DNAA was sought in this corruption charge against Tengku Adnan,” argued C4 Center.
As such, it urges PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to focus on the much needed reforms “to save Malaysia from sliding down this slippery slope – one we have spent much of the past three years trying to climb”. – Dec 7, 2020
