The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) continues to maintain a wall of silence over criticism levelled against it by a chief minister that it has been “naughty and dishonest” in its investigation of the senior BN politician for alleged graft.
“I don’t want to comment on that,” said the commission’s investigation director Mustafar Ali (right) when approached by Malaysiakini on the sidelines of the Corporate Governance Symposium 2013 in Kuala Lumpur today.
Previous attempts to elicit comments on the subject from top MACC officers have also returned nothing but “no comment” or other non-committal responses.
Last week, when met after the BN supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud verbally lashed out at the anti-graft panel
“I don’t want to comment on that,” said the commission’s investigation director Mustafar Ali (right) when approached by Malaysiakini on the sidelines of the Corporate Governance Symposium 2013 in Kuala Lumpur today.Previous attempts to elicit comments on the subject from top MACC officers have also returned nothing but “no comment” or other non-committal responses.
Last week, when met after the BN supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud verbally lashed out at the anti-graft panel
Taib accused it of “victimising” him and of being “naughty and dishonest”, when asked to respond to MACC’s investigation into allegations of graft against the long-time chief minister.
He is being probed by the anti-graft body over a video released by international corruption watchdog Global Witness which exposes alleged corruption in the Sarawak timber industry.
The expose implicated close relatives and self-professed confidants of Taib, who had allegedly offered the undercover investigator land still inhabited by natives and offered to show him how to cheat his way out of paying taxes
The expose implicated close relatives and self-professed confidants of Taib, who had allegedly offered the undercover investigator land still inhabited by natives and offered to show him how to cheat his way out of paying taxes
The MACC has been accused of selective prosecution, of only targeting ‘little anchovies’ as opposed to the bigger fishes that swim the corrupt seas.
While he is not the first BN politician to be investigated, with at least one former minister already standing trial, Taib is the first truly high-profile leader investigated by the graft-fighting agency.
The MACC's silence is being labelled by critics as a mark of its subservience to the ruling party and fear of powerful personalities such as Taib.
However, MACC has rejected such criticism, maintaining that it is doing all it can without fear or favour to fight corruption, although it is impeded by negative public perception and prosecution hiccups.
It had admitted problems with some cases being marked "No Further Action" by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which, as dictated by the constitution, has prosecutorial powers over all criminal and graft investigation findings.
The MACC's silence is being labelled by critics as a mark of its subservience to the ruling party and fear of powerful personalities such as Taib.
However, MACC has rejected such criticism, maintaining that it is doing all it can without fear or favour to fight corruption, although it is impeded by negative public perception and prosecution hiccups.
It had admitted problems with some cases being marked "No Further Action" by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which, as dictated by the constitution, has prosecutorial powers over all criminal and graft investigation findings.
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