Zaid wants MACC to be “put under telescope” after its RM20k bribe allegation against MKini’s journo

 

AS prominent former BERSIH (Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections) chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan came under fire for rallying behind Malaysiakini’s reporter B. Nantha Kumar, former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has cast doubts over impartiality of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the matter.

This came about after the graft buster’s head honcho Tan Sri Azam Baki alleged that Nantha who has served the news portal since 2018 was arrested and later remanded for four days on Saturday (March 1) for allegedly receiving a bribe from an agent that deals with migrant workers.

“In light of his well-publicised background making accusations of high-level civil servants’ illegal involvement in foreign workers’ recruitment, it’s hard to see why the MACC’s first instinct was not to protect him but instead to detain him, not the agent,” opined Zaid on the X platform.

“It’s possible that Nantha was ‘baiting’ the agent for more details but never had the intention to solicit money. Why would Nantha sell himself so cheap for RM20k to put the story on ice, having worked on it for months?”

Zaid further questioned if indeed there was no foul play in pinning down Nantha who has been working on illegal syndicates/cartels linked to undocumented foreign workers for many months.

“However, the MACC chief assured us there was no discrimination in its investigation of corruption cases. Is that so?” wondered the former defence counsel of now incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“How was it that Azam Baki believed the agent’s story almost immediately and resorted to detain Nantha for four days for questioning? Is this how a professional MACC works?

“While the interrogation is not over, Azam Baki was able to say that Nantha was asking for RM20k to hide the story.”

In light of such suspicious circumstances, Zaid urged Malaysians to put their act together with all those organisations representing journalists and decent reporters nationwide.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and Tan Sri Azam Baki (inset)

“It’s not enough to hope and pray that our MACC will conduct itself professionally and fairly,” contended the opposition-slant UMNO member.

“Evaluate their work. Put them under scrutiny. Can we say whether the MACC investigation process is comparable to global standards? Measure them against the best.

“Are their oversight committees working at all? How are the processes recommended by the oversight committees enforced?”

Nantha has in recent times been instrumental in cracking the Sabah bribery scandal as well as exposing a corrupt immigration officer who had just commenced duty in KLIA but was caught napping with a dozen foreign passports in his possession.

“He even gave a list of the big fish to the Home Minister who promised to hand over the name to MACC. Nothing has come out of this, I believe,” revealed Zaid.

“Suddenly, Nantha is on remand for allegedly asking RM20k from an agent involved in the scam. When I last spoke to him, I told him his investigative work was dangerous.

“Corruption in Malaysia is systemic and has penetrated key government institutions. He said he was fully aware.” – Focus Malaysia