AN Umno leader has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to stop pointing fingers at the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) in regards to several high-profile corruption cases being dropped.
“Can’t the MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki request the AGC to review it decisions on dropping cases involving several entities and individuals?” asked supreme council member Datuk Puad Zarkashi, in a Facebook post.
After a meeting with Azam yesterday, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported telling Malaysiakini that the decision to drop several high-profile cases, including during the short reign of Pakatan Harapan, was made by the AGC.
“I told Azam that even during Pakatan’s administration, there were allegations of several MPs receiving money from the 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB).
“It was claimed that once the MPs defected to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), the cases against them were dropped.
“And MACC clearly informed me that they were not involved in the decision. It was the AGC and then Attorney-General (AG) who made the call,” the Port Dickson MP was reported saying.
Probe Tommy Thomas
Touching on the matter, Puad said Anwar was clearly mentioning ex-AG Tan Sri Tommy Thomas as the person who decided to drop charges against the lawmakers.
“Thomas accused other officers at the AGC as being imbeciles. That is why we are calling for the Government to establish a royal commission of inquiry to investigate him,” he said.
On the 1MDB case, Puad said he found it odd that while Umno leaders such as Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Tan Sri Shahrir Samad were charged in court for receiving monies from the organisation, Bersatu leaders such as Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin were left out.
“But on Oct 17, 2019, then MACC supremo Latheefa Koya announced that about 80 individuals and entities were issued compounds for receiving funds from 1MDB.
“So, did Mustapa and Mas Ermiyati returned the money? MACC must provide answers to these questions,” the former deputy minister remarked. – March 23, 2021.
Photo credit: NSTP
