MACC mum over probe on Taib Mahmud
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) continue to keep mum over its investigations into Abdul Taib Mahmud, despite numerous allegations and reports filed against the long-time Sarawak chief minister.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) continue to keep mum over its investigations into Abdul Taib Mahmud, despite numerous allegations and reports filed against the long-time Sarawak chief minister.
The commission’s complaints committee chairperson Mohd Nor Abdullah (
photo, right
) said today he had not heard any allegation that the investigation on Abdul Taib had been turned away or classified as “no further action”.
Mohd Nor, a former Court of Appeal judge who heads the five-member committee, subsequently described such questions from journalists regarding Abdul Taib as akin to fishing for information.
Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohammed, who was present at the press conference - held to present the annual report of the complaints committee - also refused to shed light on the investigations against the Sarawak chief minister.
Abu Kassim, when asked whether MACC’s investigations would result in a charge against Abdul Taib ( left ), the chief commissioner declined to answer.
He said that MACC was tasked with investigating all corruption allegations. “We cannot turn away any investigations,” he added.
When pressed as to how many cases involved the Sarawak strongman, Abu Kassim again refused to respond.
Journalists warned
In the bid to help the MACC chief, Mohd Nor stepped in to remind the press of possible repercussions under the Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA).
“Under the Act, you must have reasonable cause to believe what you believe in. If there is any investigation against the chief minister, you must first convince there is. This is the requirement under the Act. You cannot fish for evidence,” he warned.
“Enquire the truth first, then asked for confirmation. If you ask me, ‘Datuk, is there any investigation on the CM?’ - you cannot ask me that as it may offend. Have you done your investigation?” he said.
Mohd Nor was the judge who had found then Kota Melaka MP Lim Guan Eng and present Penang chief minister guilty under the PPPA over a leaflet linking then Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik with an underaged girl in 1999.
Lim subsequently served an 18-month jail sentence and was banned from active politics for five years.
When reporters tried to corner Abu Kassim again, who was seated next to Mohd Nor, the chief commissioner deflected all the questions by repeating time and again, “When there is a complaint, it will investigate.”
When told that the public had the perception that MACC was slow in taking action against Abdul Taib, the chief commissioner recanted the provisions in the law where the commission is required to investigate all complaints.
Malaysiakini has learnt that all investigations on Abdul Taib are being handled by MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
Tajudin still under investigation
Similar questions were posed on MACC's position regarding the statement by anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International yesterday that election handouts are bribes , Abu Kassim gave his standard answer - “if there is any allegations, MACC will investigate”.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz had on Tuesday denied that such handouts are graft .
Mohd Nor however revealed that MACC investigations on former MAS chairperson Tajudin Ramli (
left
) was still on-going.
The case has not been closed but it is still being investigated following the discovery of new evidence, he stressed.
“This is based on information gained from a letter containing further details. However, I am not sure whether MACC has obtained the letter,” he said.
On Dec 15 last year, the MACC announced it was continuing its probe on Tajudin.
Tajudin is being probed over the questionable purchase of the MasKargo facility in Hahn, Germany.
MACC had initiated investigations in 2002 following a series of police reports against Tajudin, who was MAS executive chairman from 1994 to 2001, for causing the national carrier to suffer losses of more than RM8 billion.
This prompted a two-pronged investigation, one by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) and the other by MACC.
The CCID had recommended action against Tajudin but the suggestion was allegedly shot down by attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail.
Allegations were subsequently levelled at Abdul Gani for allegedly going on the haj with Tajuddin’s aide, Shahidan Shafie.
On another issue, Mohd Nor said his committee had cleared three MACC officers, who were probed for harassment.
