Is the role of attorney-general (AG) Mohamad Apandi Ali ( photo ) in the new task force probing 1MDB to determine what will and what won't be investigated?
That was the question raised by Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) today while commenting on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's absence from the National Revenue Enforcement Team (NRRET).
"The role of the AG in the earlier task force was also known to be that of giving legal input and advice on the applicable laws surrounding the probe, but not to control the investigations of the other enforcement agencies who had the proper expertise and competence under their respective legislation.
"So one also now begins to question why the new AG is taking a leadership role in the team.
"Does he determine what should be investigated and what should not and how the investigation is to done?" TI-M president Akhbar Satar asked in a statement today.
Akhbar also questioned if the MACC was being excluded from the new task force because there are new terms of reference that may exclude certain matters from being probed.
He added, the AG's decision to snub the graft buster was a blatant attempt to manipulate investigations for one's own benefit and preference.
TI-M's statement comes a day after former Special Branch (SB) deputy director Abdul Hamid Bador ( photo ) claimed he was transferred out of the unit because he did not want to carry out the agenda of “certain parties” on the 1MDB probe.
In a scathing press conference, Hamid alleged unnamed parties were interfering with the probe into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s debt-ridden pet project, to the extent of stowing away key witnesses such as businessman Jho Low.
MACC plans to question Najib
The NRRET consists of the AG's chambers, police, Bank Negara, with the MACC replaced by the Customs Department and Inland Revenue Board.
MACC deputy chief commisioner Mohd Shukri Abdul however is neither surprised nor disappointed with the development.
He said the commission's probe into SRC International will not be hindered by the development.
The MACC is still probing claims that RM42 million had made it into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's accounts.
They are also planning to question the premier over the RM2.6 billion donation he received.
Akhbar said the MACC now has full public backing to do things right.
He also called on people to make a stand against corruption.
"We have indeed suffered great setbacks in our battle against corruption.
"Our institutions have been compromised – political will is lacking in the powers that be due to self-interest; self-survival or whatever reason.
"The people must take a stand now or the legacy we leave to our next generations will be that of a nation wrecked by the evil of grand corruption," he said.
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