MACC goes all out to help Shahrizat's husband? Leaks to media slammed by lawyers

We refer to the report in the NST on 2nd February 2011 citing 'sources' that former NFC consultant Shamsubaharin Ismail had said in his statement to MACC that NFC Chairman Dato Seri Salleh 'had at no time instructed him to bribe police' and that this contradicted Shamsubaharin's subsequent police report alleging bribery.

This is a completely false allegation intended to tarnish Shamsubaharin's reputation and to protect those involved in the NFC scandal. We are in possession of Shamsubaharin's statement to the MACC and his police report dated 27 January 2011. We can confirm that Shamsubaharin did not say in his MACC statement that Dato Seri Salleh ' had at no time instructed him to bribe police.'

There is no contradiction between his MACC statement and subsequent police report. The claim that Shamsubaharin had told Salleh that Mahathir had instructed him to help the NFC also does not appear anywhere in his statement. Our client condemns the publication of these baseless allegations which amount to irresponsible and libellous journalism.

MACC guardian or destroyer of the nation's integrity

We view this false and inaccurate 'leak' to the media as part of an attempt by the MACC to tarnish our client's reputation and to justify their failure to take action on Shamsubaharin's bribery allegations. Shamsubaharin's bribery allegations are solidly supported by SMS evidence. We have seen this SMS evidence.

Why has the MACC yet to take action against the NFC suspects in the bribery case, despite the SMS evidence? The 'sources' who made the above allegations against Shamsubaharin seem well-versed with the investigations and appear to have come from the MACC itself. Is the MACC is attempting to tarnish Shamsubaharin's reputation and trying to justify their failure to nab and proceed against the bribery case suspects?

We demand that the MACC reveal what role they played in these false 'leaks' to the media and their purpose in doing so. We further demand to know why no serious action appears to have been taken by MACC or police on Shamsubaharin's SMS-backed bribery report.

The ongoing politically-motivated persecution of our client by the authorities must also cease immediately. The several charges now brought against Shamsubaharin are legally and factually baseless and will be vigorously resisted in court. We issue this statement on behalf of our client Shamsubaharin Ismail who remains in remand in Sungai Buloh prison.

N SURENDRAN and LATHEEFA KOYA

Lawyers for Shamsubaharin Ismail