The MACC should seek information from the Australian Federal Police for its claim that a senior Malaysian police officer was involved in money laundering, said Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh.

Ramkarpal, who is a lawyer, said the MACC cannot rely on the Malaysian police's internal probe, which cleared Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd.

"Since there already is an investigation launched in Australia on the matter, there is no need for the MACC to wait for a report to be lodged here before commencing investigations.

"Instead, the MACC should obtain information from the Australian police and cooperate in the said investigations as the allegations are serious.

"The said 'clearing' of Wan Ahmad is only from an internal investigation, and cannot be conclusive,  particularly in light of the said investigations by the Australian Federal Police.

"As such, the MACC ought to commence independent investigations into the matter, without relying solely on the said internal investigations if it is to be seen as truly independent and transparent. he said in a statement today.

Ramkarpal was responding to MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki, who said the graft-buster would only initiate an investigation if a report was lodged, and also noted that an internal police probe had cleared Wan Ahmad (photo).

According to Australian daily Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian police had stripped Wan Ahmad of more than A$320,000 (RM971,800), suspected to be laundered money or proceeds of crime.

The report noted that the senior officer did not try to recover the funds.

Bukit Aman, in clearing Wan Ahmad, said the money was intended for his children's education in Australia, and was raised through the sale of his house in Shah Alam.

However, the Malaysian police did not explain why Wan Ahmad did not try to recover the funds seized by Australian authorities, despite accepting that the money was legitimate.

"The image of Malaysia is being tarnished in the eyes of the international world lately with the seizure of the Equanimity by Indonesian authorities off the coast of Bali, which is said to be owned by Jho Low and purchased with ill-gotten gains from 1MDB.

"We can ill-afford further negative publicity internationally in relation to this matter in Australia and as such, I urge the MACC to commence investigations forthwith into it by cooperating with the Australian authorities, and not to simply brush it aside on the flimsy excuse of there not being a report lodged on the matter," said the DAP lawmaker.