Report: MACC confirms probing unfreezing of tycoon’s accounts by ex-AG

THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed reports that it is investigating the alleged lifting of a freeze on a business tycoon’s accounts due to instructions from two top officials of the previous PH government, according to news portal The Star Online.

An MACC source was quoted as saying that what had been reported was factual.

“We believe there was a breach of confidentiality here, and we want to investigate this,” said the news portal quoting a source.

Earlier, Free Malaysia Today reported that former finance minister Lim Guan Eng had, in 2019, asked then Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to lift restrictions on the tycoon’s four bank accounts which were frozen to facilitate an investigation into money laundering.

Thomas allegedly responded two weeks later, informing Lim of the case details and instructing MACC to lift the freeze.

The instructions by Thomas were made despite the MACC informing him that the bulk of the money – some RM3.9 mil – could not be recovered as it was no longer in one of the bank accounts said to have received the funds.

Lim, however, told Malaysiakini yesterday that during his time in the federal government, he always passed on issues that were outside his scope of responsibility to the relevant authorities.

“Cases which are not within my jurisdiction are referred to the relevant authorities.

“It is the relevant authorities who have the power to act,” he said as reported by the news portal. – June 2, 2020

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