DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng is confident the party’s top leaders will continue to push for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate the “corporate mafia” claims.
This followed Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil’s announcement yesterday that the cabinet ordered law enforcement agencies to probe the matter.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Lim said he believed DAP chairperson Gobind Singh Deo and secretary-general Anthony Loke, both cabinet members, would not give up on the matter.
“As I said, I believe that both Gobind and Loke are still pressing for an RCI. But in order to get an RCI, you must get all the members of the cabinet to agree.
“So it’s just not a DAP cabinet. It’s a unity government’s cabinet.
“So you must also persuade the other members of the cabinet to agree. Including, of course, the prime minister,” the Bagan MP said.
Yesterday, Fahmi told a press conference that the cabinet ordered the police, Inland Revenue Board (IRB), MACC, and Securities Commission, among others, to investigate the “corporate mafia” claims and look into loopholes that allow for “corporate manipulation”.
MACC involvement ‘inappropriate’
The “corporate mafia” refers to allegations that the MACC had colluded with private individuals to shake down business rivals.
The cabinet decision was made despite numerous calls for Putrajaya to set up an RCI to look into the allegations.
Regarding the multi-agency investigation, Lim believed it was “not appropriate” for the MACC to be involved as the agency was implicated in the allegations.
Malaysiakini has also contacted Loke and Gobind’s teams for comments.
On Feb 27, Fahmi said the cabinet had agreed to consider follow-up actions, including establishing an RCI, regarding allegations against the MACC and its chief, Azam Baki
Malaysiakini previously reported that Loke, who is the transport minister, said he would propose setting up the RCI at the cabinet meeting.
Previously, Suhakam has also stressed the establishment of an RCI rather than relying on a special task force that may lack clear statutory authority and coercive powers.
Amid escalating calls for a probe into allegations that its officers are entangled in a “corporate mafia” scheme, the MACC on Feb 24 issued a second firm denial and dismissed the claims as baseless.
Azam has also filed a RM100 million suit against Bloomberg, which first reported the allegations. - FMT
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