MACC urged to clarify Felda ex-board member’s acquittal

 

Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) has urged the MACC to clarify the prosecution’s decision to withdraw corruption charges against Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) board of directors ex-member Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashi.

TI-M president Muhammad Mohan said the decision had come as a shock to civil society groups.

“While we understand the technicalities involved in this case, however, it is important for MACC to clarify and explain to the public why it was necessary to withdraw the charges after studying the defence statement as this has raised a lot of questions among the public and also to avoid any trust deficit on MACC by the public,” he said in a statement today.

According to Bernama, Noor Ehsanuddin was previously charged for a total of 29 counts of bribery, all of which had been withdrawn yesterday resulting in his discharge and acquittal.

Fourteen of the charges were for allegedly accepting a bribe of RM23,540.68 in instalment payments for a BMW 3 Series car from printing company Karya Hidayah Sdn Bhd in 2014 and 2015.

Another 10 charges include receiving a bribe of RM50,000 and a piece of land from the same company in 2013 and 2014.

A total of 24 prosecution witnesses including bank officers and Companies Commission of Malaysia officials had testified since proceedings began in August 2019.

His counsel Hasnal Rezua Merican reportedly told Bernama that the decision to withdraw the charges came after the MACC investigated the defence’s statement under Section 62 of the MACC Act and was satisfied that all transactions involved were advances that had been fully repaid.

However, Muhammad said this raises the question of why the matter was not looked into when bringing charges against Noor Ehsanuddin in the first place.

“On the face of it, the mere fact that these were ‘advances’ or ‘advances that have been repaid’ does not make a transaction any less corrupt as originally alleged as “advances” are part of ‘gratification’ under the MACC Act,” Muhammad added. - Mkini