A Bloomberg report alleges that the MACC, including its higher-ups, has colluded with businesspersons in schemes to muscle out rivals and stage corporate takeovers.
According to the report, a small group of businesspersons had been employing a strategy in which they express an interest in a target company, then lodge MACC complaints against it.
The MACC then launches an investigation against the company's founders and applies pressure that allows those who lodged the reports to gain access and control of their targets.
Eyewitnesses, including MACC insiders, alleged that some of the businesspeople or their proxies were even at the graft busters' offices when their rivals were brought in for questioning.
"In two cases, anti-corruption officials took instructions from the businesspersons or people associated with them while interviewing executives, according to three of the people.
"Sometimes, the officials proposed that the executives sell their shares to the businesspersons at knockdown prices in return for investigations being stopped. In one case, the associates met executives in an interrogation room to discuss a settlement," the report stated.
One such case allegedly involved MMAG Holdings Berhad's efforts to gain control of MJet Sdn Bhd from executives Gunasekar Mariappan and Philip Phang.
"The (MACC) officers arranged a meeting at MACC headquarters when Gunasekar and Phang were brought in for questioning, two current MACC officers said.
"They were led to an interrogation room, where an MMAG executive director tried to persuade them to sell their stake at a discount, the officers said. The MJets executives refused to negotiate, and a shouting match ensued," the report stated.
MMAG did not respond to Bloomberg. Malaysiakini has also contacted the company for a response.
‘Section D’
The report further alleged that an investigative unit dubbed "Section D" played a big part in the alleged collusion between private interests and the graft busters.
Insiders were cited as saying that officials from Section D are accused of selling services ranging from intimidation tactics, such as raiding offices, to applying pressure for executives to resign or sell their shares.
Further, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki is accused of supporting the unit and being aware of their activities.
The MACC was cited by Bloomberg as rejecting any suggestion that its probes are influenced by private interests.
“All investigations are conducted in accordance with the law, guided by evidence, and subject to prosecutorial discretion and judicial oversight," an MACC spokesperson said.
Following the publication of today’s Bloomberg report, the MACC said it would not comment on “allegations that are defamatory in nature, speculative, or that involve matters which are sub judice or subject to ongoing legal proceedings”, which it said were made to tarnish its reputation.
It added that it “categorically rejects” any insinuation that its investigations are influenced by private interests.
Malaysiakini has also contacted Azam for additional comments.
Malaysiakini is unable to independently verify the claims in the report.
Other damning allegations
Today's report followed two separate exposes by Bloomberg and Malaysiakini about shareholdings by Azam, which could be in breach of existing civil service rules placing limits on how many shares can be bought in a single company.
Azam has denied wrongdoing, saying he has disposed of his portfolio, which was also declared to the Public Service Department. He has also threatened to sue Bloomberg.
This is not the first time Bloomberg has made damning allegations against Azam and the MACC.
In September 2024, a Bloomberg article quoted anonymous sources claiming that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had directed the agency to investigate former finance minister Daim Zainudin, and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as well as his sons.
The article also quoted unnamed sources alleging that in March that year, Azam had instructed his officials to avoid investigating Anwar’s former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak’s stock purchases, purportedly at the behest of the prime minister.
Both the Prime Minister's Office and MACC have denied the allegations. - Mkini
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