MACC chief: Guan Eng not the first politician detained overnight in lock-up

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki today defended the decision of his officers to arrest DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and keep him overnight before producing the latter in court.

Commenting on the brouhaha that followed Lim's arrest, Azam (above) said the decision to arrest a suspect is up to the discretion of an investigating officer, and is provided under the law.

Lim, he added, was also not the first prominent politician that the agency has arrested and kept under detention overnight.

"What is the issue with Lim being detained by MACC before produced in court?

"The decision to arrest was made by the case investigator based on his discretion, and his decision should be respected. The decision to arrest is provided under the law.

"If any parties are not satisfied with the arrest, then I welcome them to lodge complain to anyone, or take the matter to court," he said this evening.

Malaysiakini had contacted Azam for his comments over criticism hurled against MACC for arresting the former finance minister (above).

Among those who had condemned Lim's arrest was his son Marcus and DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok. They claimed the arrest is politically motivated.

In a statement, Klang MP Charles Santiago had called Lim's detention overnight as incarceration that was "in bad faith and is to keep a lid on dissent".

Azam stressed that MACC had taken the same action in the case involving other politicians, including former premier Najib Abdul Razak (below).

"Lim is not the first political leader whom MACC has put under detention overnight before we produce them in court.

"To cite several examples, we have done this in the case of Najib, Rosmah Mansor, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and Azeez Rahim, among others," he said.

Azam added that the agency had also practiced discretion when summoning Lim, who had to attend Dewan Rakyat during the day yesterday.

According to him, MACC officers had initially summoned the politician to come at 3pm, but they then agreed to allow Lim to finish his duty at the parliament first.

This morning, Lim was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Session Court of soliciting bribes in connection with the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

He has claimed trial to the charge and has been released on bail. - Mkini