At a press conference intended to pressure the premier to explain the alleged sale of a secret navy document, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali found that interest of the mainstream press lay elsewhere - in the recently revived corruption case against him.

NONE Fielding questions in a room packed with media personnel, including the BN-friendly TV3 , Azmin ( left ) reiterated that the case - which had been opened in 1995 - is "political persecution" and that he leaves it to "the rakyat to judge (him)".

"My response is simple. (The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) is super efficient,” he said, tongue in cheek.

“In cases like the National Feedlot Centre involving (former minister) Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, they had in a very short time closed the case and cleared her, although many questions are left unanswered...”

He also referred journalists to the book written by Anti-Corruption Agency Shafee Yahya's wife, in which it was noted that the prosecution decided to not charge Anwar Ibrahim with allegedly trying to cover up for Azmin in the corruption case.

Anwar was instead charged with corruption and sodomy in 1998 after he was sacked as deputy prime minister.

However, Azmin refused to reveal details when asked about recent revelation that Shafee had recommended that disciplinary action be taken against him in 1995 for allegedly living beyond his means.

"I don't know. If any action needs to be taken, including disciplinary action...why wait until today? Even the investigating officer has passed away," he quipped.

Azmin, who had in 1995 acted as private secretary to now PKR de facto leader Anwar, added that to date MACC has yet to call him for questioning.

The commission last week said that it has reopened the case following new leads, after blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin leaked confidential investigation papers against Azmin from 1995.

Referring to the documents, Azmin in an interview with Malaysiakini last week said that he “(does) not have that much money”.

He, however, refused to go into details, saying that he does not want the issue to distract from PKR’s focus on the upcoming polls.

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